CC Sabathia has definitely become the workhorse on the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff. However, if the Brewers have any intentions of going deep into the playoffs… if they do in fact make the playoffs, they better start resting their ace.

Monday’s 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros was a classic example. Rather than allowing Sabathia to chalk up another complete-game victory, the Brewers should have yanked him in favor of the bullpen for the last two innings. The Brewers were leading 8-2, in the bottom of the seventh and Sabathia’s pitch count was mounting.
It was a no-brainer, but manager Ned Yost allowed Sabathia to complete the game despite finishing with 130 pitches.

To Sabathia’s credit he is 8-0 with a 1.60 earned run average and five complete games in nine starts for the Brewers since they acquired him from Cleveland in a July 7 trade.

Now, let’s look at some other numbers.

Sabathia pitched a career-high 241 innings for the Indians last year, but was winless in two starts with a 10.45 earned run average against the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series. Tired arm? Maybe…

Now, fast forward to this year. Sabathia has thrown a combined 1951/3 innings with Cleveland and Milwaukee. He is expected to make seven more regular-season starts for the Brewers. That translates into another possible 63 innings if he goes the distance in every game.

Let’s hope that’s not the case.

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