New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia received a stem cell injection in his right knee to deal with a degenerative condition in the cartilage. James Andrews, M.D., told the Yankees that the repair to the knee would take a minimum of six weeks if it works.
Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman is quoted by writer Del Veddhio as saying, “Our dialogue with Andrews has been good and given the small sample of stem cell procedures, the results are very successful. But he has to be pain free before strengthening, so there is a way to go. Because he is a starter it will take longer. I have no idea how long it will be and if it will be successful. We are hoping it is six weeks to a major league return.”
Sabathia is the highest-paid pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. Currently in his 13th year as a major league pitcher, Sabathia has never had more losses than wins in a season. Sabathia played the first seven and a half seasons of his career with the Cleveland Indians, where he won the 2007 Cy Young Award. He played the second half of the 2008 MLB season with the Milwaukee Brewers, leading them to the Wild Card, their first playoff appearance in 26 years. Sabathia is regarded as one of the most durable pitchers in Major League Baseball, having averaged over 200 innings pitched per season during his career.
