Yankees’ Sabathia out at least six weeks

New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, who received a cortisone shot with stem cells on Thursday as treatment for a degenerative condition in the cartilage in his right knee, will be out for at least six more weeks, general manager Brian Cashman said yesterday.

Dr. James Andrews, a noted orthopedic surgeon, performed the procedure on Sabathia, which was aimed at reducing inflammation and facilitating the healing process. Cashman said the protocol for Sabathia, a left-hander, is to return six weeks from the date of the injection, which would be June 26.

“Hopefully, it resolves it,” Cashman said last week of the shot. “If not, then we’ll talk about it later.”

Sabathia had said he felt discomfort in his knee in his second-tolast start, on May 4 against the Tampa Bay Rays, and that his knee swelled after the game. In his next start, on May 10 in Milwaukee, Sabathia felt discomfort throughout the game and had swelling again.

A MRI showed no structural damage to his ligaments or his meniscus, which was surgically repaired in 2010.

Despite Sabathia’s 3-4 record and 5.28 ERA, the Yankees were encouraged that he was showing signs of improvement. He has allowed 10 home runs in 46 innings.

The Yankees have lost pitcher Ivan Nova for the season because of a torn ligament in his elbow, and Michael Pineda is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained muscle in his upper back.