CC must catch to test knee

CC Sabathia’s time on the injured list will be longer than he hoped.

After receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection and synthetic lubricant for his right-knee inflammation, Sabathia will have to wait to play catch before assessing how much time he will miss from the Yankees’ rotation. As far as the concerns for his shoulder, the pitcher said Saturday it was just “a little cranky” and nothing needs to be done.

“It’s why we’re always concerned about the knee and probably why ultimately he’s going to retire from this game,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees doubleheader sweep of the Red Sox. “It’s something that we have to monitor, I think we understand that he is a warrior. He goes out there and pitches through stuff that a lot of guys wouldn’t be able to handle.”

On a scale from 1-to-10, Sabathia said his knee pain has been at about an eight over the past five seasons. Before he went on the IL for the second time this season with the knee injury on July 28, Sabathia said the pain had reached a 10.

While the 39-year-old lefty is unsure when he will return, he is confident the beleaguered Yankees pitching staff will be ready to compete come October.

“I’m good with [this team], I think we definitely have the talent and the arms to get it done. I think everything was a big fuss, we had a bad week at the wrong time,” said Sabathia, who is 5-6 with a 4.78 ERA in what he has said will be his final MLB season. “But I definitely think we have the guys to get it done, you get [Dellin Betances] and [Luis Severino] back, that’s like getting two moves at the trade deadline right there.

“I don’t think there’s anything to add on the offensive side, we’re there. I think we got the team to win the division and ultimately win the World Series.”