2019 will be Sabathia’s last season
Today, New York Yankees’ starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia announced his retirement after the 2019 season. The tall lefthander will have spent a total of nineteen seasons in the Major Leagues then.
During a press conference in Tampa, during the Yankees’ Spring Training, Sabathia told the attendants he will hang up his spikes after the 2019 season.
CC Sabathia announces retirement following 2019 https://t.co/QizIQt6am4 pic.twitter.com/0RttlC4tiu
— River Ave. Blues (@RiverAveBlues) February 16, 2019
Hal Steinbrenner, Yankees’ co-owner made the following statement: “CC has been a great ambassador for our game, and we are proud that he has represented our organization for the past decade. His competitive spirit is matched only by his devotion to family and his relentless philanthropic pursuits. CC has always been a pillar in our clubhouse, and we look forward to him further cementing his impressive legacy this season and contributing to our championship goals.”
Sabathia said, when asked for his legacy, he wants to be remembered as a good teammate. The fact that all of his teammates attended the press conference, even those who haven’t reported at ST camp yet, proves that he doesn’t have to worry about not being a good teammate.
As part of his farewell season, Sabathia announced he will honor members of the Boys & Girls Club in each road city the Yankees play throughout the year. He said he wouldn’t be where he is without the Boys & Girls Club and he wants to give back.
Sabathia broke into the Majors in 2001 with the Cleveland Indians, where he spent seven full seasons before he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers during the 2008 season. He helped the Brewers reach the playoffs in that year as he posted an 11-2 record and a 1.65 record with the team. The next season, Sabathia signed a deal with the New York Yankees. That year, the Yankees spend big for other free agents as well as they acquired A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira. Eventually, Sabathia won his only World Series ring with the Yankees that season.
At the start of his 2019 season, Sabathia appeared in 538 games, posting a 246-153 record and a .370 ERA. Thanks to his big posture, Sabathia was bothered by knee injuries in the final years of his career, for which he underwent surgery several times. C.C. is only fourteen strikeouts away from clinching the 3,000 mark.
It is very likely that Sabathia will be voted into the HOF in 2024.