New York Yankees’ starting pitcher CC Sabathia took the hill for his first live outing since October 1st, and the first time since seeking help for the debilitating disease of alcoholism.
- New York Yankees: 0 (2-5)
- Miami Marlins: 1 (3-4-1)
- Grapefruit League, Final Box Score
- Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL
By Christian Kouroupakis
The New York Yankees are hopeful that CC Sabathia’s new knee brace could help him carry over his September performance, when he went 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA with a 7.4 K/9 ratio in five starts, into 2016.
He made his spring debut against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. A debut that manager Joe Girardi was excited to watch:
“I’m anxious to see him,” Girardi told Mark Feinsand of the Daily News. “You kind of wish that he could go longer than two innings. It’s a long bus ride for two innings, but I’m excited to see him.”
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It’s safe to say he was even more excited when the veteran lefty threw 25 pitches (16 strikes), struck out two and walked one in two hit-less innings. His outing started with an efficient first inning, in which he only threw 6 pitches and recorded a strikeout.
Sabathia’s first outing was everything his coaches, teammates, and fans hoped it would be. All winter Sabathia stressed to the media how he was in a better position to compete after his 29 day stay in rehabilitation for alcohol abuse.
More importantly, his future as a father and family man is much brighter as well; today we got a sneak peak of what a CC at peace could bring to the table.
CC Sabathia #Yankees threw 6 pitches (all strikes) to get through #Marlins in 1st. Fanned Yelich on 77 mph curve. Velo 86-87 mph
— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) March 8, 2016
After his outing, there wasn’t much to watch as the game was rather dull.
Luis Cessa relieved Sabathia and hurled two perfect innings with a strikeout; Tyler Olson came on in the fifth inning and managed a hit-less frame with one walk and a strikeout; Kirby Yates also pitched a hit-less frame in the sixth.
The Marlins were being no-hit until the bottom of the seventh when Nick Rumbelow came on and allowed a Don Kelly single. Followed by a Chris Johnson RBI single to break up the shutout.
That would prove to be enough as the Marlins defeated New York 1-0. Rumbelow was the losing pitcher.
Chasen Shreve, who’s looking to prove his September (13.50 ERA) was just a fluke, came on to pitch the eighth and tossed a perfect inning, while striking out one.
The Yankees had their chances, but left six men on base, going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, while not scoring a run on five hits through seven innings.
Notables: Aaron Hicks went 2-for-3 and Rob Refsnyder recorded a hit and a walk.
Again, the game was slow and dull but to get a glimpse of the “new and improved” CC Sabathia was a treat and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the former CY Young Award winner builds on this outing throughout the duration of the 2016 season.
The Yankees will head on over to Port St. Lucie on Wednesday to square of against their cross town rivals, the New York Mets, in a spring edition of the Subway Series. First pitch is at 1:10, which can be seen on SNY.
