Sabathia set to return Friday in start vs. O's

MIAMI -- CC Sabathia is set to be activated from the 10-day disabled list on Friday and will take the ball to open the Yankees' four-game weekend series against the Orioles in Baltimore, the left-hander said on Tuesday.
Sabathia was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 13 with inflammation in his right knee, having landed awkwardly on it while trying to field a soft grounder during the second inning of the Yankees' 7-2 win over the Rangers the day prior.
The 38-year-old veteran said at the time that he could have pitched through the discomfort, but opted to give his knee rest in advance of the postseason push. Sabathia is 7-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 22 starts this season.
Luis Cessa stepped into Sabathia's rotation spot last week, surrendering five earned runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings on Wednesday vs. the Rays.
The Yankees have yet to finalize their rotation for the Baltimore series, but there are signals that left-hander Justus Sheffield -- the club's No. 1 prospect according to MLB Pipeline -- could soon be promoted to make his Major League debut.
Sheffield was moved from the rotation to the bullpen at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, and general manager Brian Cashman has said that he expects Sheffield to contribute at the big league level this season, either as a starter or a reliever.
In 21 games (20 starts) for Double-A Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, Sheffield has compiled a 6-6 record with a 2.48 ERA, holding opponents to a .196 batting average. In 108 2/3 innings, Sheffield has permitted 77 hits and 50 walks while striking out 116.

Comeback trail
• Gary Sánchez (right groin strain) is scheduled to play in a Gulf Coast League game on Thursday, according to manager Aaron Boone, who said that the catcher would join the Triple-A club shortly thereafter for about a week of games.
"He's doing well. He's in a really good place physically," Boone said. "I think his conditioning is really good right now; probably as good as it's been at any time this year. I'm excited for him to start working his way back."
• Aaron Judge (fractured right wrist) traveled with the team to Miami, and though Boone indicated that there has been no significant update, he believes there's still time for Judge to play in Minor League games.
"He felt better today, but still not at the point where we have a bat in his hand or anything like that," Boone said. "Again, the fracture will tell us when. When the pain is out of there, bat in hand, it'll move quickly. We're not quite there yet."
• The Yankees did report encouraging news on Clint Frazier (post-concussion symptoms), who continues to work out at the team's player-development complex in Tampa, Fla.
"Clint's doing better," Boone said. "He is resuming baseball activities; he's been outside hitting, running, and the last few days has responded well as the workload has ramped up a little bit."
A-Whirlwind
One day after partying into the night following Jennifer Lopez's celebrated performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami, Alex Rodriguez was back in a full Yankees uniform at Marlins Park, roaming the clubhouse and watching batting practice in his role as a special advisor.
"I need a nap," Rodriguez quipped.
This date in Yankees history
Aug. 21, 2013: Ichiro Suzuki recorded his 4,000th career hit (1,278 in Japan and 2,722 in the Majors) with a first-inning single off the Blue Jays' R.A. Dickey at Yankee Stadium.