CC Sabathia To Make Rehab Start Saturday

Apr 24, 2014; Boston, MA, USA New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia (52) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday, the Yankees received some good news on one of their three injured starting pitchers.  C.C. Sabathia had successfully completed a simulated game in which he pitched 2 innings without any pain to his degenerative knee. “Everything came out well,” manager Joe Girardi said to Jorge Castillo of the Star Ledger. “Obviously, you’re curious to see how he feels tomorrow, but he felt it was successful.” 

The plan for Sabathia’s rehab start, is to have him throw around 40 to 45 pitches. Two things the Yankees will be looking for is what is Sabathia’s velocity looking like, and obviously how much, if any pain will Sabathia have after his first start. “It’s getting closer,” Girardi said. “You’re not sure exactly how many starts he needs to get built up. But, I mean, once you start to get to that point, four or five starts he could be a possibility for us.” 4 or 5 starts is presumably the number of starts Sabathia will need before he’s ready to return to the Yankees.

Sabathia would most likely replace Vidal Nuno, whose struggles have been well documented this  season.  Even though CC had his own struggles earlier this season, going 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA, fans will be happy to see him on the mound instead of Nuno.