CHICAGO — CC Sabathia will throw his second bullpen session today since going on the disabled list with an inflamed left elbow.
Based on the way the Yankees ace comes through the exercise will help manager Joe Girardi decide if Sabathia starts Friday night in Cleveland on the first day he is eligible to come off the 15-day DL.
Sabathia is convinced he will start Friday, and yesterday Girardi said there hasn’t been any signs that Sabathia won’t pitch, but …
“There is nothing that [would] say that he isn’t going to pitch,’’ said Girardi, who still needs to know what Sabathia feels like tomorrow.
“We will see how he comes out of his bullpen and if everything is good we will decide where we will slot him in,’’ Girardi said. “My concern is how he feels after, not during.’’
After receiving treatment yesterday, Sabathia said, “Everything is good.’’
If Sabathia comes off the shelf Friday, the Yankees will need to clear a roster spot on the 25-man roster. They could send David Phelps to the minors knowing they can bring him back Sept. 1 when the rosters expand beyond 25. Derek Lowe impressed in his Yankee debut and it’s not likely the Yankees would turn him loose. Joba Chamberlain also has a minor league option remaining and hasn’t pitched well since coming off the DL.
Mark Teixeira took batting practice in the indoor cage yesterday and told Girardi his bothersome left wrist that kept him out of the previous three games was good enough to play against the White Sox.
“I needed him to tell me, I don’t think he forgot how to hit,’’ Girardi said. “He said he felt good.’’
Teixeira went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs in last night’s 9-6 loss. He leads the Yankees with 80 RBIs.
Derek Jeter went 4-for-5 and has at least one hit in 15 of the last 16 games. He is hitting .403 (29-for-72) in that stretch. His home run last night moved him past Graig Nettles into ninth place on the all-time Yankees’ list with 251.
Andy Pettitte put a little more pressure on his left ankle yesterday while throwing in the outfield of U.S. Cellular Field.
“He has been doing that,’’ said pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who didn’t have a date when Pettitte will throw off a bullpen mound. “We will see how he is [today] and go from there. We are taking it day to day.’’
Girardi said he wasn’t shocked that Roger Clemens, 50, is going to pitch for an independent league team this coming weekend.
“Guys love to play, it’s in our blood,’’ Girardi said of his former batterymate. “If he feels he can pitch and enjoy it … I know it’s not at the big-league level, God bless him.’’
Clemens, who hasn’t pitched since 2007 for the Yankees, will hurl for the Sugar Land Skeeters Saturday night near his Houston home.
“He has always loved to compete, that’s who he is,’’ Girardi said. “That’s a hard thing to replace, that competition, and guys miss it.’’
Robinson Cano started last night’s game in a 2-for-26 (.077) funk but wasn’t looking to alter anything at the plate.
“I have been doing the same thing, I haven’t changed anything,’’ said Cano, whose single Sunday night stopped a 0-for-16 slide.
Cano went 1-for-4 with a walk last night.
“He has hit a lot of balls hard and hasn’t had much to show,’’ Girardi said. “I look at the at-bats and the at-bats have been good.’’