Should bettors fade CC Sabathia … with the big man showing signs of fading as he approaches his 38th birthday next month?

Sabathia is scheduled to start Friday night’s series opener between the Yankees and Red Sox in The Bronx. Though Sabathia’s season-to-date stats aren’t showing cause for concern, his last eight starts may be.

CC Sabathia since May 10

ERA: 4.50 (disappointing)
WHIP: 1.55 (very high)
IP/Start: 5.5 (borderline)
HRs allowed: 9 (just 3 prior)
Team record: 3-5

Since that stretch began, the Yankees are 23-10 with other starting pitchers, 3-5 with Sabathia. For bettors, because the Yankees can be expensive to back, the money equivalent is 3 wins and 8.8 losses. Sabathia lost at favored prices of -120, -180, -200, -230, and -150 on the money line.

This will be a big test Friday, as Boston brings the third-best park-adjusted offense in the majors (using “weighted runs created plus” from Fangraphs) to Yankee Stadium for a potential playoff preview.

Sabathia’s first start in that eight-game sequence came at the Stadium versus the Sox. He lasted just four innings, allowing four earned runs on nine hits.

Bettors should at least show caution investing in Sabathia given his recent form. And, he could well be a profitable pitcher to fade in coming weeks because the Yankees usually are priced at a premium. Moving forward, pay particular attention to innings pitched per start, hits plus walks allowed, and gopher-ball tendencies to guide your decision-making.