NEW YORK -- The Yankees call upon CC Sabathia, their former ace, to stop the downward slide they have been in since May 12, when they began what is now a string of eight losses in their last nine games. Sabathia has pitched well in his last two outings, earning wins over Tampa Bay and Kansas City and allowing just four earned runs over his last 14 innings.
Sabathia has been especially good against the Texas Rangers, with an 11-3 record in 18 career starts. He's 4-0 against them as a Yankee.
Here is the lineup Joe Girardi is sending out against the Rangers and RHP Nick Martinez:
Stephen Drew 2B
Sabathia LHP
Rangers starter Martinez is making his third career start against the Yankees. He is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in his career against them, but he has faced only four Yankees who are in Saturday's starting lineup -- Gardner, Beltran, Headley and Teixeira -- and none of them has more than five at-bats against him. Gardner has four hits off Martinez in his five ABs, including a home run. ... Girardi had no concrete information to offer in regards to Jacoby Ellsbury, whose sprained right knee was examined by team physicians on Friday. "It really hasn't changed,'' Girardi said. "He’s on the 15-day DL. There’s nothing he needs to have done surgically. Will it be 15 days? I think it’s hard to say. I think it might be a little bit more because of the type of player that he is. This is not a guy that can go and swing and DH and not have to worry about running.'' ... Chase Whitley, who underwent Tommy John surgery earlier in the week, showed up in the clubhouse with his arm in a sling and his elbow immobilized in a hard cast. Whitley came out of a game in Tampa on May 14 after 1-2/3 innings, unable to take the pain any longer. "That's the first time I've ever asked to come out of a game in my whole career, dating back to high school football, high school basketball, anything,'' he said. "It really didn't affect me until Tampa. If you go on the DL or say something every time you're in pain, you probably won't ever pitch.'' As with all TJS cases, Whitley's projected recovery time is 12 to 18 months. ... Reliever Chris Martin, on the DL since May 9 with right elbow tendinitis, was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday and could pitch in a rehab game sometime next week.
