Knee-jerk reaction
BALTIMORE — At first it simply looked as if CC Sabathia was leaving the Yankees’ clubhouse Wednesday because being alerted the game against the Orioles had been postponed. That happened about a half hour later, but Sabathia’s reason for splitting had nothing to do with the rain.
Instead, the left-hander’s right knee was headed for a lubrication injection one night after he allowed five runs and eight hits (including three homers) in 5 ¹ /3 innings to the Orioles in what turned into a crushing 7-6 loss.
Asked if his knee was bothering him, Sabathia said it was, but not to the extent it had been on Aug. 8 in Toronto, when the veteran felt pain to such an extent he believed his season was in danger of being over. Sabathia landed on the 10-day disabled list then, but was ready to pitch when that term was up.
“It’s always bothering me at this point but it’s a dull pain, not like before,’’ Sabathia said Wednesday. “I can manage this.’’
Since coming off the DL, Sabathia has made four starts and is 2-0 with a 3.33 ERA, limiting hitters to a .226 batting average. His outing Tuesday night was by far the worst of the four.
Asked about the 37-year-old receiving an injection, manager Joe Girardi said, “I am not sure’’ and then added “he has been fine.’’
Adam Warren was placed on the DL with lower back spasms and there is a chance the valuable righthanded reliever could miss the rest of the regular season.
“Right now the doctors recommended he rest for two weeks. We were hoping to get him back here in Baltimore but we didn’t,’’ Girardi said of Warren, who last pitched Friday and experienced the problem Sunday. “We left him home Sunday and he had the tests Monday and they recommended two weeks’ rest.’’
Since Warren, who has appeared in 45 games, isn’t a starter Girardi has hope he will return before the postseason opens.
“You would think as a reliever at two weeks if he is physically OK that you could get him back at some point,’’ Girardi said of Warren, who is 3-2 with a 2.40 ERA. “But that is if he is OK after two weeks.’’
Gary Sanchez’s three-game suspension was due to end Wednesday, but the rainout extended that to Thursday. The catcher will return to the active roster Friday night against the Rangers. That’s when Austin
Romine is expected to serve his one-game ban. The catchers were suspended for being involved in the brawl in Detroit on Aug. 24.
Provided with regular playing time since Aug. 26, Jacoby Ellsbury has produced. From Aug. 26 to Sept. 5, Ellsbury has started eight of 10 games and is hitting .448 (13-for-29) with a homer, nine RBIs and a 1.205 OPS.