After conferring with three medical experts, New York Yankees ace left-hander CC Sabathia has decided to undergo season-ending surgery on his right knee. MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reports that Sabathia will have the surgery performed on Wednesday, July 23. The process will involve cleaning out the fluid to help heal the injury that has disabled Sabathia for most of the season.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that CC Sabathia will have season-ending surgery on July 23. Procedure is to clean out his right knee.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) July 18, 2014
Sabathia has a build up of fluid stemming from the inflammation
he suffered earlier in the season. He went on the disabled list on May 11. He tried rehab first and even made two Minor League rehab starts in late June and early July, but the surgery became more eminent as the swelling worsened.
For a while, it appeared that his career might end, but that is not as likely to happen as originally thought. In fact, Hoch notes that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that Sabathia could possibly return as early as Spring Training, 2015.
The Yankees have four of their five Opening Day starters on the disabled list with two of them -- Sabathia and Ivan Nova -- out for the season. Only Hiroki Kuroda remains. Michael Pineda (right shoulder) could return in mid-to-late August, and rookie sensation Masahiro Tanaka (right elbow) is trying to avoid Tommy John surgery and return for the September stretch. Tanaka, though, is in just the first of a seven-year, $155-million contract, so the Yankees might not want to rush him back too soon -- especially if they fall out of contention.
The Yankees currently have a rotation of Kuroda, Brandon McCarthy, Chase Whitley, David Phelps, and Shane Greene.
Sabathia was 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in eight starts. He is in Year 6 of an eight-year, $181 million contract through 2016 that also includes a $25- million team option for 2017.