page_title: Phil Hughes
section_title: 2012
hierarchical_section_title: Phil Hughes / Professional baseball career / New York Yankees / 2012
caption_attribution_description: Phil Hughes pitching during a game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles on August 1, 2012 at Yankee Stadium in New York, NY
context_page_description: Philip Joseph Hughes is an American right-handed former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, and San Diego Padres from 2007 through 2018. He stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds. He was the Yankees' first-round pick in the 2004 MLB draft.
  During his time in the Yankees' minor-league system, Hughes was one of the most highly anticipated prospects in baseball, but his major league career was marked by inconsistency. He debuted in the major leagues in 2007 as a starting pitcher and quickly demonstrated his potential with a bid for a no-hitter in only his second MLB start. However, injury cut short his outing, as well as significant portions of his 2007 and 2008 seasons. Hughes began 2009 in the minors but later returned to the major leagues, eventually converting to a relief pitcher in June; pitching as a setup man for Mariano Rivera, Hughes excelled in the new role during the regular season. Despite his struggles in the postseason, Hughes won a championship with the Yankees in the 2009 World Series over the Philadelphia Phillies.
context_section_description: On January 16, 2012, Hughes signed a one-year deal worth $3.25 million that included incentives, effectively avoiding arbitration. His deal was a $500,000 raise from his 2011 season.
  Hughes was the Yankees' third starter in 2012. He started the season averaging only four innings in his first four starts while posting a 1–3 record and a 7.88 ERA. From May to the end of the season, however, Hughes had a 15–10 record and a 3.90 ERA. He had a season-high four-game winning streak from May 22 through June 15. Hughes threw a complete game on June 3, allowing one run in a 5–1 win against the Tigers. On June 26, he threw eight shutout innings and earned the win in a 6–4 victory over Cleveland. He threw ​7 ¹⁄₃ shutout innings and earned the win on September 13 in a 2–0 victory over the Boston Red Sox. In 32 starts, Hughes had a 4.19 ERA and 165 strikeouts in ​191 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched. He was tied for sixth in the AL in wins (16, with Max Scherzer, Yu Darvish, and Hiroki Kuroda), but he also tied for eighth in the league in losses (13, with Dan Haren and Ervin Santana).
  In Game 4 of the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles, Hughes allowed one run in ​6 ²⁄₃ innings but received a no-decision in a 13-inning, 2–1 loss. The Yankees won the series in five games. In Game 3 of the ALCS against Detroit, Hughes allowed one run in three innings before exiting with back stiffness; he took the loss as the Yankees lost 2–1. The Tigers swept the Yankees in four games.
caption: Hughes on August 1, 2012
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