CC Sabathia will throw his first bullpen session since going on the disabled list today and said he believes he will return Friday in Cleveland.
While manager Joe Girardi would certainly welcome the Yankees’ staff ace back to the rotation the first day Sabathia is eligible, he is waiting to see how the big left-hander does during workouts .
“I will do a bullpen [session today], be off [tomorrow], play catch Monday, another bullpen Tuesday and pitch Friday,’’ Sabathia said following a flat-ground throwing program yesterday afternoon. “I feel good.’’
Sabathia is on the shelf with left elbow inflammation and Girardi is taking a conservative approach.
“I haven’t really nailed the date, let’s see how the bullpens go,’’ Girardi said. “That way I have a little leeway, the second day or the third day.’’
Given his choice, Sabathia would have avoided the DL with a problem the Yankees and the pitcher didn’t believe was that serious. However, he sees the benefit of the 15 days off.
“Now I feel good and it should be behind me,’’ said Sabathia who spent time on the DL earlier this year with a groin problem. “More rest is always the best.”
Nick Swisher homered from each side of the plate for the 12th time in his career. Only Mark Teixeira, with 13, has more in MLB history. … Russell Martin’s home run in the second inning of last night’s 6-4 win over the Red Sox was his 10th of the season, giving the Yankees an MLB-leading 10 players with 10 or more homers.
Andy Pettitte threw in the outfield yesterday and used his 17-year-old son, Josh Pettitte, as a crouching catcher.
“I am waiting for the doctor to tell me when I can get on a mound,’’ said Pettitte, who threw Tuesday and Wednesday, but not Thursday. “Right now I am not fully loading, just kind of stepping and throwing. The next stop is lifting the left leg on flat ground.’’
Pettitte thinks he will see Dr. Chris Ahmad before the Yankees leave tomorrow night for a road trip through Chicago and Cleveland.
Pettitte, who suffered a fractured left ankle on June 27, reports the ankle is good, but said since suffering a setback in Seattle in late July, his workload hasn’t been the same.
“I feel better than I have ever felt but doing less than before,’’ Pettitte said. “It’s a fine line we are walking as far as getting ready.’’
The Yankees are counting on Pettitte to rejoin the rotation at some point next month, but don’t have a date for that yet.
Stamford, Conn., resident Patrick Cullen caught Derek Jeter’s 250th home run ball in the fifth inning.
“They asked if I wanted to negotiate and I said, ‘No. That’s Derek Jeter,’ ’’ said Cullen, who received a signed bat from Jeter, who also autographed his Yankees jersey on the back.
Greg Mercurio, in whose seat Cullen was sitting, had his hat signed by Jeter.
Alex Rodriguez will have his fractured left hand X-rayed tomorrow and will have a better idea when he will be able to return.
“It looks like it’s getting better,’’ Rodriguez said. “There is no target date [to return].’’
Rodriguez’s replacements at third base — Eric Chavez, Casey McGehee and Jayson Nix — are batting a combined .385 (30-for-78) with seven homers.
David Phelps starts today against the Red Sox. It’s the rookie right-hander’s third appearance against the Red Sox and first start.
After Phelps threw 79 pitches in a start against the Rangers on Monday, Girardi expects more today.
“I think he can approach 90 to 95 if he throws like he is capable of,’’ Girardi said of the Phelps, who is making his fifth major league start.
Watching Phelps beat the Rangers with a five-inning stint in which he gave up two runs and six hits, Girardi doesn’t believe he will be overwhelmed by pitching to the Red Sox.
“Texas is kind of an atmosphere, too,’’ Girardi said. “They have been to the World Series the past two years and we are fighting them for the best record in the American League. I don’t imagine he will be too caught up.’’
george.king@nypost.com