Yankees: James Paxton and CC Sabathia could both return this week

Both James Paxton and CC Sabathia are nearing their returns to the Yankees starting rotation. According to Aaron Boone, it’s possible that Paxton could start Wednesday against the Padres and CC could start Sunday night in the series finale against the Boston Red Sox.

Over the past couple weeks, the Yankees have been forced to use Chad Green as an opener three times including during Monday’s win against the Padres. Even though the Yanks have won all three of those games they’d prefer to use an actual starter so they don’t overuse their bullpen and by the of the homestand, it looks like they could return to a five-man rotation.

Getting CC and Paxton back couldn’t come at a better time for the Yankees with the Red Sox coming to town on Thursday to begin a huge four-game set. The Yanks are likely going to use their bullpen a lot this weekend so it’s important that all of their high leverage guys are well rested. With Masahiro Tanaka starting tonight and Paxton hopefully following him on Wednesday they should be able to give the Yankees some length.

Paxton has been out since May 4th with left knee inflammation and despite still feeling some discomfort he feels good enough to pitch through it moving forward and has been cleared by doctors to make his return. Here’s Paxton on his recovery per Zach Braziller of the New York Post:

"“I threw my bullpen [Sunday] and it felt the best it has felt since going on the IL,” Paxton said. “As long as it’s not going to be a thing where I can make this thing worse by pitching on it, then I feel like I’m ready to go.“I just don’t want to go out there and put myself in jeopardy of tearing something. Then I’m out for three months or something like that. If I can come back and I’m told I’m not going to injure myself worse, and just pitch through some discomfort, I can do that.”"

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Hopefully, that knee holds up because if the Yankees are going to win their division and compete for a World Series they need Paxton to play a big role. The same goes for CC albeit to a lesser extent.

For the past three or four years, he’s had to go on the IL for a week or two because of the same lingering right knee issue. However, it seems every time he comes back after the short layoff he’s thrown the ball great and gives the Yankees exactly what they need out of him. I don’t expect that to change this time around and look for CC to deliver another quality outing on Sunday against Boston.

With CC and Paxton back in the fold very soon the next starter the Yankees are waiting on to make his way back from the IL is their ace, Luis Severino (right lat strain). Sevy is finally expected to resume throwing at some point this week but he’s still likely going to be out until after the All-Star break.