CC Sabathia was part of the Yankees’ pitching plans for Tuesday night’s AL Wild Card game as a reliever, and as a starter if they beat the Astros and advanced to the ALDS against the Royals.
Now, the large lefty has been removed from the postseason roster to battle an alcohol problem.
“You have to be a little more creative,’’ said Joe Girardi, who raised the possibility this weekend in Baltimore of Sabathia being available for extra-innings work Tuesday night. “We have had to do it over the course of this season with the rotation of relievers, the shuttle between [Triple-A] Scranton, the starters we have had to replace and someone stepping in.