Freddy Garcia, Thursday night’s starter in Oakland, has compiled a 7.34 ERA in seven starts this season.

So does that give you confidence that Garcia can deliver in Andy Pettitte’s absence until Sept. 1, when Pettitte hopes to return to the rotation?

Garcia, 35, has to get by with guts and guile these days, no longer relying on the mid-90s fastball he one possessed.

“The Chief” has pitched to a 3.18 ERA in his last three outings, but can he sustain that type of consistency?

Perhaps the Yankees would be better served inserting a young starter such as David Phelps, who they recently promoted, as a stopgap until Pettitte returns.

Garcia? Phelps? Maybe GM Brian Cashman should make a trade? Let us know who you think should pitch in the No. 5 spot in the rotation for the next six weeks.

UP NOW: Wallace Matthews has a column on the Yankees becoming a machine. Seriously. They look like a juggernaut right now. I have blogs on Hiroki Kuroda, A-Rod and Mark Teixeira. Katie Sharp will be bringing you her latest edition of Yankeemetrics in the A.M. as well.

ON DECK: The Yankees open up a seven-day, seven-game West Coast roadtrip against the A’s.