Andy Pettitte to throw 1st pitch at Yankee Stadium Sunday

Andy Pettitte will return to the Yankee Stadium mound on Sunday. To pitch. Well, kind of.

According to beat writer Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com, the 39-year-old left-hander will toss the ceremonial first pitch before the Yankees’ Game 2 matchup against the Tigers.

Pettitte, who hasn’t officially retired but sat out all of this season, has not made a public appearance at the Stadium since 2010. He’s dropped by the home clubhouse, but only for brief visits with old friends.

Pettitte reiterated to reporters in a short chat Saturday that he has no desire to return to professional baseball, and that he’s enjoying his retirement. But he also offered the old “never say never” cliche.

“There is no doubt, I’m standing right here, you miss it,” said Pettitte, talking in the Yankees’ dugout Saturday, a few hours before the resumption of Game 1. “You would love to be out there, whenever you get here and get around the environment. [But] the desire is not there. The same desire that made me go home is the same desire to play. Again, like I’ve said, unless God works a miracle and gives me that desire to do that, I don’t see any chance.”

Pettitte registered a 3.88 career ERA over 16 MLB seasons. He had a 3.83 career ERA in the playoffs.