MLB

Sabathia to get cortisone shot in right knee

Dr. James Andrews didn’t find a meniscus tear in CC Sabathia’s right knee Tuesday, however the hinge has issues that are going to be addressed Thursday in Birmingham, Ala.

“There are degenerative changes in his knee,’’ Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said of Sabathia, who was put on the disabled list Sunday with fluid on his knee. “He is going to receive an injection of cortisone and stem cell to try and deal with this. That’s the protocol when you see degenerative. The knee is stable but he does have degenerative changes.

“What does that mean? He has cartilage breakdown. We have current players [Carlos Beltran] and past players that have dealt with this.’’

Cashman said former Yankees Hideki Matsui, Randy Johnson, Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones went through the procedure.

“You drain the knee, inject the cortisone and stem cell into the knee and you see how it responds,” Cashman said before the Yankees’ 4-0 win over the Mets Wednesday night at Citi Field. “That’s the typical protocol for that. There have been a number of successes through the process.”

Sabathia, who will turn 34 in July, had surgery following the 2010 season to repair a meniscus tear in the same knee and was concerned it could be a repeat because the symptoms were the same this past weekend in Milwaukee.

Sabathia is 3-4 with a 5.28 ERAin eight starts this season.


If there’s one person who has reason to believe Chase Whitley is ready for his major league debut for the Yankees in the Subway Series on Thursday, it’s Dean Treanor.

“I wish they called him up before he faced us,” said Treanor, the manager of Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis. “We didn’t have much of a chance against him.”

With Yankees dropping like flies, they have had to turn to some unexpected places for help, and Whitley is next on the list now that Sabathia is on the disabled list with a right knee injury.

In his final extended outing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on May 6, Whitley dominated Indianapolis, throwing 6¹/₃ shutout innings, giving up just three hits and striking out 11.

“If he throws like we saw him throw, he can get guys out up there,” Treanor said.

The 24-year-old right-hander is still making the transition to his starting role, having started just seven games in the previous two seasons.

“The best thing about him is he’s not a flashy guy,” former Scranton teammate Preston Claiborne said. “He goes out and pounds the zone; has good rhythm and is smart.”


Travis d’Arnaud underwent tests for a concussion, a day after getting hit in the head by Alfonso Soriano’s backswing. D’Arnaud will undergo further testing on Thursday, according to manager Terry Collins.

“We’re a little bit concerned about him,” Collins said.

Juan Centeno will join the club on Thursday from Triple-A Las Vegas in the event d’Arnaud is placed on the seven-day disabled list for concussions.

D’Arnaud, according to general manager Sandy Alderson, had a light headache Tuesday night that subsided, but after exercising displayed other symptoms that left team officials concerned.

Anthony Recker started at catcher.


According to Elias Sports Bureau, Brian Roberts was the first player 36 or older with a multi-triple game since Omar Vizquel in 2006. He’s the first Yankee to accomplish that feat since Felipe Alou in 1971.


Wilmer Flores was originally supposed to start at shortstop, but manager Terry Collins changed his mind after considering Ruben Tejada’s recent play. Tejada, who went 0-for-3, is 4-for-15 (.266) in his last four starts and has played strong defense.

“You’ve got to ride that wave,” Collins said. “[Tejada] is really swinging the bat good. This kid has really put his mind to producing.”


The Mets will honor Derek Jeter before Thursday’s game.

— Additional reporting Joel Sherman and Dan Martin