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CC Sabathia threw 16 pitches off a bullpen mound Friday afternoon in his first extended work session of camp.<\/p>\n
The Yankees have limited the veteran left-hander\u2019s work schedule after he underwent right knee surgery and had a stent placed in a heart artery during the offseason.<\/p>\n
Because he is suspended for the first five games of the regular season, Sabathia doesn\u2019t have to be ready for the first turn through the rotation.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, with Luis Cessa, Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga serving as rotation depth, the Yankees need a healthy Sabathia to pitch like he has for the past three seasons because that trio is largely unproven as starters.<\/p>\n
From 2016-18, Sabathia went 32-24 with a 3.76 ERA in 86 starts. The best of those seasons was 2017, when he went 14-5 with a 3.69 ERA in 27 starts \u2014 his fewest starts and innings pitched (148 \u00b2\/\u2083) of the three seasons.<\/p>\n
While Sabathia\u2019s focus is helping the Yankees win a World Series, something that last happened in 2009, he is well aware that every pitcher with 250 wins and 3,000 strikeouts \u2014 besides Roger Clemens, who remains on the ballot \u2014 is in the Hall of Fame. Sabathia has 246 wins and 2,986 strikeouts.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother good step for him, threw the ball fine,\u2019\u2019 manager Aaron Boone said of Sabathia. \u201cHe worked on his cutter, two-seamer, changeup. All in all, a good day for him.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Sabathia, who had said he will retire after this season, said he didn\u2019t recall when his knee last bothered him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been awhile, I couldn\u2019t tell you,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
Sabathia will throw a bullpen session Sunday and possibly batting practice late next week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t mapped out a timetable yet, but I have plenty of time,\u2019\u2019 Sabathia said of being ready for the regular season.<\/p>\n
In his second exhibition start and on three days\u2019 rest, James Paxton gave up a run and two hits in two innings.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I made progress from the last time,\u2019\u2019 Paxton said. \u201cThe breaking ball is not where it needs to be. The breaking stuff for me comes last.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Boone saw something positive with the lefty\u2019s fastball.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe life on the fastball, you could tell by the swings they were having, he was mid-90s with it, but it seemed like it was really playing up, too,\u2019\u2019 Boone said.<\/p>\n
Masahiro Tanaka will start Sunday against the Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field, and Domingo German goes versus the Blue Jays in Dunedin.<\/p>\n
Didi Gregorius is scheduled to be examined by a doctor within the next 10 days to gauge his progress in recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow following last year\u2019s ALDS. The Yankees hope the shortstop will be cleared to take dry swings and tee work. Gregorius has been limited to swinging a bat with one hand. <\/p>\n
\u201cEverything has gone really well,\u2019\u2019 Boone said.<\/p>\n
Danny Farquhar will pitch in relief Saturday against the Pirates. It will be the right-handed reliever\u2019s first game action since last April 20, when he suffered a brain hemorrhage from a ruptured aneurysm while with the White Sox.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can tell he likes the competition,\u201d Boone said of Farquhar, who is in camp on a minor league deal. \u201cWe\u2019ve even seen his batting practices or his (simulated) games, there\u2019s an edge and a focus to him, and I would expect the same tomorrow. I\u2019m sure it will be another awesome day for him.\u2019\u2019 <\/p>\n
The Yankees talked among themselves on Friday about Jacoby Ellsbury and how he is doing in Arizona, where he is attempting to come back from plantar fasciitis.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis work is going well. Probably in the next week or two we\u2019ll have to make a decision to continue it there, or if we deem he\u2019s ready for baseball activities, he\u2019ll get going out here,\u2019\u2019 Boone said of Ellsbury, who is running on flat ground. \u201cThat\u2019s something over the next week maybe we\u2019ll have a clearer picture.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
According to catcher Gary Sanchez, Chad Green pitched like it was July instead of March 1. In his second spring training outing, the right-handed reliever struck out three batters in 1 \u00b9\/\u2083 innings.<\/p>\n
A Yankees lineup featuring seven regulars and DJ LeMahieu was blanked through eight innings before scoring two runs in the ninth to salvage a 2-2 tie.<\/p>\n
Tommy Kahnle\u2019s spring training got off to a solid start. The right-handed reliever faced three batters in the eighth inning and fanned them all. Kahnle is out of options and needs a good spring training to remain on the 25-man roster.<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s schedule: The Yankees travel to Bradenton to play the Pirates. Luis Cessa starts for the Yankees, who also will use Danny Farquhar. It will be Farquhar\u2019s first outing facing big league hitters since last April, when he suffered a brain hemorrhage from a ruptured aneurysm while with the White Sox.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n