Yankees at Indians
CC Sabathia spent nearly all of his first eight major league seasons with the Cleveland Indians, winning an American League Cy Young Award and 106 games. The left-hander could be making his final start in Cleveland and will be in search of his 250th career victory when the New York Yankees continue a three-game series against the Indians on Saturday afternoon.
Cleveland posted its third win in four games with a 5-2 victory in the series opener behind a tiebreaking two-run homer from Carlos Santana, who is 10-for-19 lifetime against Sabathia. Jason Kipnis collected a pair of hits and two RBIs to break out of a funk in which he was hitless in 18 at-bats over the previous five games. Shortstop Didi Gregorius, eight months removed from undergoing Tommy John surgery, had two of New York's six hits in his season debut. Aaron Hicks homered for the third time in four games, driving in five runs in that span for the Yankees, who have lost four of five and are in jeopardy of dropping back-to-back series after winning the previous nine.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (3-2, 3.61 ERA) vs. Indians RH Adam Plutko (1-1, 6.35)
After he was forced to skipped a turn due to inflammation in his knee, Sabathia had a four-start unbeaten streak halted against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, giving up three runs on seven hits while notching a season-high eight strikeouts over six innings. The 38-year-old also was taken deep twice by Boston, part of a troubling trend that has seen him surrender 13 homers in his last seven starts. Jose Ramirez is 6-for-12 and Francisco Lindor 6-for-15 against Sabathia, who is 4-3 with a 3.57 ERA versus Cleveland.
Plutko was unable to build upon an impressive season debut, taking a major step back when he was battered by Tampa Bay for seven runs and 12 hits over 5 1/3 innings on May 23 -- a four-homer performance that earned him a demotion to the minors. With Cleveland's starting rotation ravaged by injuries, Plutko will be summoned from Triple-A Columbus to make his 15th career start. He beat Baltimore with six stellar innings in his season debut on May 18, allowing one run and one hit.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York SS Gleyber Torres (shoulder) hopes to play Saturday after sitting out the past two games.
2. Indians LHP Brad Hand has converted all 19 save chances and has not allowed a run in his last 10 appearances.
3. Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka may not make his scheduled start Sunday after his wife gave birth to the couple's second child.