New York Yankee News: Sabathia Has Solid Outing Against Oakland

CC Sabathia secured his fourth win of the season on Wednesday as the New York Yankees defeated the Oakland Athletics 5-4. Sabathia was returning to the mound on eight days of rest after being bumped from his last start after having fluid drained from his right knee.

Up until the conclusion of Wednesday night’s game, the Yankees were saying that Sabathia was skipping last weekend’s start to work on mechanical issues. Now, fans may be back to worrying about the health of his right knee. Before the game many were wondering how Sabathia would perform after essentially being benched last weekend, but the report that it was a health issue and not a mechanical issue as was previously believed may change the discussion surrounding the struggling veteran.

Sabathia pitched well going 5.1 innings, allowing 7 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, and 1 strikeout, improving his record to 4-8. This is not bad pitching line and while he is certainly not the workhorse he once was, it was a solid outing for the big lefty. He left the game with a lead after 88 pitches in the 6^th inning after giving up a single to Billy Burns.

Jul 8, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia (52) pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The veteran starter really only had one tough inning all night. In the 2^nd inning, the A’s touched him up for 5 hits and 2 runs with “loud contact” to 8 batters including a ground rule double to Billy Butler and a single to Yankee pest Brett Lawrie. Fortunately, Sabathia avoided giving up the long ball, a problem he has had all season, giving up 19 home runs this so far this season.

Sabathia settled down after a discussion with pitching coach Larry Rothschild between innings and recovered well, allowing only 2 hits facing 16 men over the next three innings.

Sabathia said “I think [it was] just command of both sides of the plate,” Sabathia said of what changed after the second. “The changeup I was throwing earlier in the game was a little flat. Me and [Rothschild] talked a lot between innings, and just made an adjustment. The pitch just started working for me. It opened up the inside of the plate.“

Sabathia said he would look to use this performance as something to build on and to help him get his season on track. He also expressed a desire to pitch late into games, something the Sabathia of old was known for and the Yankees’ bullpen would certainly appreciate.

“I’m going to put this in the memory bank and work off that,” he said. “I have things to prove. Hopefully later in the season, I’ll start pitching better later in games.”