Sabathia will close career as a reliever

New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia is getting set to close his career as a reliever.

New York manager Aaron Boone said before the home game Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays that Sabathia will work out of the bullpen next week as the American League East Division champions prepare for the playoffs.

The 39-year-old left-hander has pitched in relief just once in his 19-season career, going 1⅓ innings in a deciding Game 5 loss against Detroit in the 2011 AL Division Series. Sabathia’s other 583 appearances have all come as a starter. He is 5-8 in 22 starts with a 4.99 ERA this season, but he has dealt with knee trouble much of the season.

Sabathia has said this will be his last year playing in the majors.

Meanwhile, pitcher Domingo Germán is being investigated for an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend at home this week, a person familiar with the situation said.

Nationals

Manager Dave Martinez, 54, rejoined the team after a heart procedure that caused him to a miss a three-game series at St. Louis. He was back Friday, four days after a cardiac catheterization. Bench coach Chip Hale managed the team in Martinez’s absence.

Marlins

Don Mattingly will return next season as Miami’s manager and said Friday he is happy to bring stability to the franchise. He’ll be back for a fifth season in 2020. The new contract will cover two seasons and includes a mutual option for 2022.

Elsewhere

Toronto pitcher Luis Quinones was suspended for the first 80 games of next season, and San Diego pitcher Elias Batista, New York Mets catcher Jan Carlos Osorio and Atlanta catcher Jose Camacaro for 72 games each under baseball’s minor league drug program. All four tested positive for performance-enhancing substances, the commissioner’s office said Friday: Quinones for Nandrolone, Camacaro for Boldenone, and Batista and Osorio for Stanozolol.