The big man is back. CC Sabathia (2-2, 3.81 ERA) toes the rubber against Sonny Gray (3-4, 5.84 ERA) in game two at the Coliseum. Sabathia makes his return to the rotation after going down with a groin strain earlier in the month. Growing up in Vallejo, about 30 miles from O.co, means a lot of family and friends in the stands for him tonight. However, O.co has not been a sweet homecoming, as he is 4-7 with a 5.44 ERA in 15 starts there. He last faced the A’s on July 8, 2015 at Yankee Stadium when he allowed two runs on seven hits in a 5.1 inning win. Before landing on the DL, he blanked the Orioles through seven innings and picked up the win.
“I felt good,” Sabathia said. “Like I said, I was able to play catch every day during this DL stint and really work on things in the bullpen and my simulated game. Hopefully I can go out and keep building on what I had a couple of weeks ago.”
Gray is having a rough go of 2016 so far after an All Star 2015. His ERA is more than double what it was last season and he is winless in his last four outings. He took a no decision last July at the Stadium, giving up three runs on six hits through seven innings in an eventual Oakland win. In his last outing against the Rays, he allowed three runs through 5.2 innings and is confident he’s figuring things out.
“I can walk away from here with my head held high and really walk away confident and ready to go,” Gray said after that start. “I’ve constantly been leaving the ball up, and you can tell. It was literally just a visual thing to get the ball back down, and you could tell there, when it’s back down, it’s got great life on it, and you start to see the swing and misses.”
Tidbits:
Sabathia is 9-11 with a 4.71 ERA in his career against Oakland.
Gray is 1-1 with a 3.43 ERA in three career starts against the Yanks.
If Sabathia gets the win tonight, he will become the 17th Yankee pitcher to reach 100 wins with the team.
9:35 pm on YES.
