Blue Jays at Yankees
CC Sabathia makes his return to the mound Thursday as the New York
Yankees host Toronto in the rubber match of a three-game set. Sabathia
has not pitched in the regular season since May 10, 2014, when a knee
issue wiped away the rest of the year as part of an injury-marred
campaign for the Yankees rotation.
The big lefty had made at least 28 starts in each of his first 13 seasons before being limited to eight last year. Another of those banged-up starters - Michael Pineda - made his season debut Wednesday and put forth a solid six innings to keep New York around before a three-run eighth lifted the Yankees to a 4-3 win. Jacoby Ellsbury had two hits, two walks, two runs and a stolen base to ignite the offense, while Andrew Miller picked up his first save. Toronto scored its three runs on an infield single, a sacrifice fly and an error as sluggers Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson remained hitless on the young season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Daniel Norris (0-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (3-4, 5.28)
Norris was 12-2 with a 2.53 ERA in three minor league stops last season before getting promoted to Toronto in September and making four relief appearances to along with one start. The season-ending injury to Marcus Stroman opened up a rotation spot this spring and Norris seized it with a solid showing, going 4-0 with a 2.93 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old gave up a homer to Yankees catcher Brian McCann in his one inning of work against New York in 2014.
Sabathia's streak of seven straight 200-inning seasons came to an end with last year's abrupt finish in early May after a string of rocky outings. The veteran southpaw, who is due to make $23 million this year and $25 million in 2016, had season-ending arthroscopic surgery in July, at which point general manager Brian Cashman cautioned against Sabathia being effective when he returned to the mound this year. Sabathia did not engender much confidence this spring by going 0-3 with an 8.10 ERA in three Grapefruit League outings.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York has won 11 of the last 13 series between the teams at Yankee Stadium.
2. Bautista and Donaldson are a combined 5-for-38 all time against Sabathia.
3. Sabathia is 15-4 with a 3.13 ERA in 20 career starts vs. Toronto.