MLB notes: Yankees starter CC Sabathia returns to injured list

CC Sabathia was placed on the injured list Saturday 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 because of a recurrence of pain in a balky right knee that has bothered him for years. He was put on the 10-day injured list 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 and maintenance regimen that has become common for the six-time All-Star over the past few years.

Sabathia has struggled since the All-Star break, going 0-4 with a 7.77 ERA in six starts, but hopes to return this season. How much the AL East leaders could expect from him, however, is uncertain. He is 5-8 with a 4.93 ERA in 20 starts overall, and manager Aaron Boone didn’t want to speculate about whether the rest of Sabathia’s final season is in jeopardy.

“I think there’s a realistic chance that he would be back and could even be back pretty shortly,” Boone said. “But we’ll just have to see how it responds in these coming days to the shot and to the draining and everything.

“Everything’s on the table, but first things first is getting this thing right and getting him back to a point to where he’s able to pitch again. But we’re not there yet.”

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

He was sidelined in early April, from May 23 to June 2, and then from July 28 to Aug. 17. He made his third start since returning from the injured list Friday and allowed one run in three innings.

Etc.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo has returned to the lineup after missing the past four games because of a tight back. He is batting cleanup against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. He took batting practice a day earlier and texted manager Joe Maddon the next morning saying he was ready. Rizzo also missed four games in May with a back ailment, although the team says that was in a different part of his back. ...

Sean Manaea is scheduled to start Sunday for the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium, his season debut after recovering from left shoulder surgery. A’s manager Bob Melvin says Manaea will come off the injured list as rosters expand. With an off day Monday, right-hander Mike Fiers will be pushed back to Tuesday at home against the Los Angeles Angels to give him extra rest. ...

Cleveland Indians left fielder Tyler Naquin has a torn ACL in his right knee, the second major injury the team has suffered in a week as it makes a push for the playoffs. Naquin was carted off the field after crashing into the wall while taking away a potential two-run homer from Joey Wendle in Friday night’s 4-0 loss at Tampa Bay. Naquin was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday. First baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers was recalled from triple-A Columbus.