TORONTO — Given a choice, CC Sabathia would not have landed on the disabled list Saturday.
In fact, had it not been for his wife, Amber, the Yankees’ ace wasn’t going to tell the team about his left elbow that was so stiff he couldn’t touch his shoulder with his left hand the day after a complete game victory over the Mariners on Aug. 3 at Yankee Stadium.
During a Saturday call with general manager Brian Cashman, Sabathia lobbied to stay off the shelf for the second time this season. He was on the DL from June 28 to July 16 with a strained left groin.
“I didn’t want to go on the DL, it’s not my decision,’’ Sabathia said yesterday. “But, I understand. I felt like I stated a good case, but Cash wasn’t having it.’’
When the Yankees put Sabathia on the DL they said their level of concern was low. Manager Joe Girardi said Sabathia will pitch against the Indians Aug. 24, the first day he is eligible to come off the DL.
“That day I am pitching, for sure,’’ said Sabathia, who pointed to the back of the elbow when asked where the stiffness and inflammation were.
Even though he couldn’t touch his left hand to his left shoulder the day after facing Seattle, Sabathia didn’t want the Yankees to know.
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but my wife said she was going to call them herself,’’ said Sabathia, who is 12-3 with a 3.56 ERA. “She made me go in there.’’
An MRI exam the day after the Seattle start was clean and there are no more tests scheduled. But when the soreness and inflammation returned after he beat the Tigers Wednesday in Detroit, the Yankees waited to see how it played out. Saturday, they opted to put Sabathia, in the first season of a five-year deal worth $122 million, on the DL.
“I know I can pitch with it, I pitched in Detroit with it,’’ said Sabathia, who explained he felt it only between innings, not when he was pitching.
While the MRI cleared Sabathia’s mind, he was concerned about the first-ever problem with his elbow.
“After Seattle, I didn’t have any range of motion, I was really nervous,’’ said Sabathia, who explained he didn’t feel anything in the elbow before the Mariners game.
David Phelps will come out of the bullpen tonight to start in Sabathia’s place against the muscular Rangers in the first of four games at Yankee Stadium.