New York Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova hasn't pitched since August 21; that marked the end of a five-start stretch in which his ERA jumped from 4.08 to 4.92, and afterward the Yankees placed him on the Disabled List with a minor shoulder injury.

This weekend, according to The Wall Street Journal's Daniel Barbarisi, Nova will be activated from the D.L. and supplant Freddy Garcia in the Yankees' rotation. In three of García's last four starts, he failed to survive five full innings; in the other, he got knocked out in the sixth. With Nova presumably healthy, it makes sense to get him back into the rotation and García is the obvious candidate for replacement.

There's probably more rotation news coming next week. Andy Pettitte hasn't pitched in a game since late June because of a bum ankle, but his rehab's been going well and he's expected to return to the active roster soon, and replace rookie David Phelps in the rotation.

All of this, of course, while the Yankees fight for their lives in the bizarrely dramatic American League East.