CC Sabathia Injury: Yankees Pitcher Has Surgery to Remove Bone Spur from Elbow

New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia took care of the bone spur in his pitching elbow by undergoing surgery to remove it on Thursday. 

The elbow has been a nagging problem for the 32-year-old southpaw, who went on the 15-day disabled list back in August to address the issue, as Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com reported.

ESPN senior baseball writer Buster Olney broke the news of Sabathia's surgery on Twitter:

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CC Sabathia had bone spur removed from his left elbow; NYY say he will be ok at start of 2013 season.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 25, 2012

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Despite the injury, Sabathia still posted a very strong 2012 campaign, going 15-6 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, which ranked among the Top Five in the American League.

The season didn't end well, though. Sabathia was lit up in the fourth and final game of the ALCS against Detroit for 11 hits and six runs in just 3.2 innings. This stirred speculation that the injury might be more serious than previously imagined.

It even seemed conceivable that Sabathia's ailment could lead to Tommy John surgery, especially with the 12-year veteran being outspokenly concerned. But as George King III of the New York Post reported, previous MRIs came up negative with regard to ligament damage.

What King did note is that world-renowned specialist Dr. James Andrews was whom Sabathia consulted with about his elbow prior to the surgery.

The good news for Yankees fans is that Thursday's procedure seemed to be successful, since Sabathia himself said it wouldn't cause him to miss time at the beginning of next season.

In all likelihood, the big lefty will be on the bump for the Bronx Bombers to kick off the 2013 season.