All eyes were on the likes of C.C. Sabathia and Mariano Rivera as the duo threw bullpen sessions early on Saturday morning. For Rivera, it was the closer’s second official bullpen of the spring. Rivera threw roughly 30 pitches before declaring, “Everything feels good.” At 43 years old and returning from major knee surgery, all eyes will be on Rivera throughout the spring.
C.C. Sabathia threw his first bullpen of the spring on Saturday as well. The veteran left-hander admitted prior to taking the mound that he was nervous for his first bullpen after offseason arthroscopic surgery to clean out a bone spur in his elbow. After 29 pitches, Sabathia felt relief to have gotten through the session without any problems.
“I immediately felt good and felt comfortable after the first couple of pitches,” Sabathia said. “I was excited to be back up there on the mound.”
Other notable pitchers throwing bullpen sessions today were Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Hiroki Kuroda, and David Robertson. David Phelps, who is competing with Ivan Nova for the final spot in the starting rotation, threw live batting practice.
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