OAKLAND, Calif. -- Veteran left-hander CC Sabathia gave the Yankees one of their best starts of the season his last time out, seven shutout innings in a 7-0 win at Baltimore on May 4.

Even more impressive, Sabathia shut down a division rival that has played good baseball while dealing with left groin discomfort.

Two days later, Sabathia was on the 15-day disabled list.

He's eligible to return Friday, and indeed he'll be activated and take the mound for the Yankees' 10:05 p.m. EST game against the Oakland Athletics.

Here's what we can expect:

1. Sabathia, who is 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA in five starts, will try to attack Oakland hitters the same way that he held Baltimore's lineup to six hits over seven scoreless innings.

"My changeup and my breaking ball was good," he said. "The fastball command was good. The offspeed pitches come off my fastball, so hopefully I pick it up and can have some good command and go out of that."

2. Sabathia thinks that he shouldn't be rusty because he played catch every day that he's been on the DL and he felt sharp throwing a simulated game last weekend.

"I'm healthy and ready to go," he said.

3. Sabathia threw 99 pitches in his last outing and he should be able to get close to that on Friday.

"If there's a (restricted pitch count), there's not much of one," manager Joe Girardi said.

4. A Bay Area native, Sabathia grew up 25 miles north of Oakland and always has a lot of family and friends in the stands when he pitches close to home. He estimates the count for Friday will be 75-to-125.

"It costs me a lot of money," Sabathia said with a smile. He says his mother deals with all the ticket requests, then addd. "I get ready (to pitch) ... and I pay."

Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com Philadelphia Sports on Facebook.