The New York Yankees placed CC Sabathia on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation Sunday, one day after the veteran left-hander struggled in a loss to the rival Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Sabathia, 39, has failed to reach the fifth inning in both of his past two starts, allowing 11 earned runs and six home runs over 8⅓ innings in that span.
The six-time All-Star yielded five runs and nine hits in 4⅓ innings Saturday as the Yankees lost their third straight game to the Red Sox.
"Just didn't make enough pitches," said Sabathia, who plans to retire at season's end. "That's a good lineup over there, and left too many pitches over the middle. ... With the stuff I have now, I have to be pitching to the corners."
Over the past seven games, New York's starters have given up 52 runs (48 earned) on 52 hits in 26 innings. The staff overall has been pounded for 73 runs in that span, with 65 coming in the past six, the most in a six-game stretch in the franchise's illustrious history.
Since June 29, the rotation has posted a 7.09 ERA, the second-worst ERA in the majors across that span. Only the Detroit Tigers' 7.30 mark is worse.
Sabathia, who is 5-6 with a 4.78 ERA this season, called the rotation's recent stretch "frustrating."
Information from ESPN's Coley Harvey was used in this report.