Yankees' Sabathia on 2015 season: 'I'll be ready to go'
CC Sabathia is turning his back on a 2014 campaign that saw the New York Yankees left-hander miss the bulk of the season following knee surgery.
The 34-year-old former Cy Young winner, who was told he almost had no cartilage under his right kneecap, is upbeat following arthroscopic surgery in August and has his sights set on next season.
“I’m pretty much back to 100%, feeling great, playing catch,” Sabathia told Dan Martin of the New York Post. “I’ll be ready to go.”
Sabathia has been working out twice a week at Yankee Stadium and is encouraged after not experiencing any discomfort.
“I feel good enough to do all my workouts, play catch and kind of have a normal offseason,” Sabathia said. “I hope to be able to contribute. After the last two years and really last year not having anything to contribute at all, I’m just excited to be able to be in the rotation and win some games.”
After posting a 74-29 record and 3.22 ERA over his first four seasons in the Bronx, Sabathia has gone 17-17 over the last two seasons and has seen his ERA over that time balloon to 4.87.
Under contract for two more years with a total price tag of $48 million, the six-time All-Star is hoping to get back to being the player who logged 200-plus innings in seven of the last eight seasons.
“My only goal is to stay healthy and get back to eating up innings and being able to start every fifth day,” said Sabathia.