NEW YORK -- Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia checked off the final box before he can be taken off the 15-day disabled list, pitching a simulated game off the mound prior to batting practice Sunday.
Sabathia threw about 45 pitches versus live batters under the supervision of manager Joe Girardi and pitching coach Larry Rothschild, then fielded a couple of ground balls to check his mobility coming off the mound. By Sabathia's assessment, all went according to plan.
"I'm ready to go," Sabathia said. "That was a big test."
The lefty has been on the disabled list with a groin injury since May 6, retroactive to May 5, meaning he's eligible to return to the active roster this Friday. And in Girardi's mind, that's when he'll be pitching.
"Unless something upsets it tomorrow or the next day, he's on target to go on Friday," Girardi said.
In his last start, when he sustained the injury, Sabathia tossed seven shutout innings against the first-place Orioles on May 4. That outing improved his record on the season to 2-2 and dropped his ERA almost a point and a half to 3.81.
For Sabathia, the main goal when he takes the mound again against the A's in Oakland on Friday is to continue pitching as if the injury never happened.
"I'm ready to get back out there," Sabathia said. "I felt like I was starting to pitch pretty good, and hopefully I can continue to do that and carry it in to the next game.