BRADENTON, Fla. — As the Yankees roster is currently constructed, Luis Cessa is the favorite to take CC Sabathia’s place for the first turn through the rotation.
Suspended for the first five games of the season, Sabathia will miss at least one turn, and the Yankees could take it slow with his eventual return to the rotation and give him extra time to get ready since he is coming off right knee surgery and had a stent inserted into a heart artery in December.
Cessa is competing with Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga for that spot, and Cessa made a solid impression Saturday against the Pirates at LECOM Park where he gave up one run, four hits, struck out four and didn’t issue a walk in three innings of an 8-7 loss to the Pirates.