MINNEAPOLIS — CC Sabathia’s season is probably over, and depending what Dr. James Andrews finds in the right knee, his career could be in jeopardy.
Sabathia will be examined by Andrews on July 14, and there is a possibility the large lefty will require microfracture surgery.
“That’s always a possibility when you have a degenerative knee,’’ said Joe Girardi of microfracture surgery, a procedure that is involved and is difficult to come back from, before Friday’s game against the Twins at Target Field. “It’s a surgery a lot of players don’t want to hear they need to have. It’s a pretty long rehab.’’
According to Girardi, a MRI exam taken Thursday, one day after Sabathia pitched in a second minor league rehab game for Double-A Trenton, didn’t unearth anything different than other tests.
Because Andrews’ schedule is full, Sabathia and the Yankees are in limbo until a week from Monday.
“It’s not the way you want to start off your All-Star break,’’ Girardi said of a pitcher he believed he would have back after the break now facing the potential of major surgery.
Asked if he believed the one-time Yankees ace who led them to the 2009 World Series title ever would pitch for the Yankees again, Girardi said it was too soon to speak in such dire terms.
“I think it’s too early to predict that,’’ Girardi said. “Whenever you have degenerative issues that cause surgery, there are always questions.’’
When the subject of Sabathia’s 2014 season being finished surfaced, Girardi said, “That’s fair to say.’’
Losing Sabathia for the remainder of the season just means the pitcher they haven’t had since May 11 won’t be around. Though Sabathia was being looked at as an upgrade over starters Chase Whitley and Vidal Nuno, he was still a pitcher with knee trouble who turns 34 on July 21. And he was 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA in eight starts before going on the shelf.
The Yankees were aggressively pursuing a starting pitcher before Sabathia suffered a setback Thursday, and that will continue before the July 31 trade deadline.
As for the financial side of a possible career-ending injury, the Yankees likely have insurance on Sabathia’s five-year deal for $122 million.
He is guaranteed $23 million this year and next with the salary going to $25 million in 2016. There is a $25 million vesting option for 2017 with a $5 million buyout that becomes guaranteed under a three-step plan.
The option is guaranteed if Sabathia doesn’t end the 2016 season on the DL with a left shoulder injury, doesn’t spend more than 45 days on the DL in 2016 with a left shoulder problem and doesn’t make more than six relief appearances in 2016 because of a left shoulder injury.
So, if the knee causes Sabathia to never pitch again — freezing his career record at 208-119 — he will be paid through the 2017 season.