Sabathia goes on injured list for 4th time in final season

NEW YORK (AP) — CC Sabathia has been placed on the injured list for the fourth time this year by the New York Yankees.

The 39-year-old lefty, who plans to retire after the season, was removed from his start Friday night against Oakland due to a recurrence of pain in a balky right knee that’s bothered him for years. He was put on the 10-day injured list Saturday with right knee inflammation, and the Yankees recalled right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Sabathia was scheduled to have his knee drained and receive a cortisone shot Saturday. He could be given another lubricant injection as well, all part of a treatment regimen that’s become common for the six-time All-Star over the past few years.

Sabathia has struggled since the All-Star break but hopes to return this season. How much the AL East leaders could realistically expect from him, however, is unclear. He is 5-8 with a 4.93 ERA in 20 starts.

The 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner with Cleveland, Sabathia has 251 career wins and surpassed 3,000 strikeouts earlier this season.