TAMPA — Yankees fifth starter Phil Hughes struck out 12 and allowed three hits over the equivalent of 8 1/3 scoreless innings in a simulated game.
The right-hander pitched against players from the Yankees’ extended spring training program on Monday.
Hughes was “very happy” with his control and the overall outing. He threw 70 of 100 pitches for strikes.
With a number of off days during the early part of the season, Hughes is not scheduled to make his first start until April 15 against the Los Angeles Angels.
“He got his work in, but the biggest thing you hope for is that he gets through it healthy, that he doesn’t take a liner off the knee,’’ Brian Cashman told The Post’s George A. King III.
Hughes will rejoin the Yankees for Tuesday’s game at Boston. He will pitch again with the extended spring team on Saturday, when the Yankees will be in Florida for a three-game weekend series at Tampa Bay.