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CC Sabathia saw many ceremonies honoring former players during 11 seasons with the New York Yankees and never envisioned he would be an honoree.
Sabathia became the 24th player or manager to get his number retired and the Hall of Fame left-hander was honored with a plaque in Monument Park during a ceremony before a doubleheader opener against Baltimore on Friday.
Sabathia joined Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada as the fifth member of 2009 World Series champion Yankees with a retired number and plaque.
“I never envisioned myself going into Monument Park and I think that was the reason why I was so scared to come here is because you don’t ever think you’re going to win the Yankee fans over or the city over,” Sabathia said. “So to be able to be sitting here now, playing here 11 years is an incredible feeling and that’s why I’ve said the last couple of weeks, this feels bigger to me than the Hall of Fame because I know what was at stake when I came here.”
Now 46, Sabathia signed a $161 million, seven-year contract before the 2009 season after being convinced by general manager Brian Cashman following an initial meeting in December 2008. The contract was the largest at the time for a free-agent pitcher.
Sabathia went 19-8 with a 3.37 ERA in 34 starts for the Yankees in his first season. He earned the AL Championship Series MVP Award, going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in a six-game win over the Los Angeles Angels and started Games 1 and 4 as the Yankees beat Philadelphia for their 27th title.
Sabathia went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland (2001-08), Milwaukee (2008) and the Yankees (2009-19).
During 11 seasons in New York, Sabathia was 134-88 with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts. He ranks fourth in franchise history in strikeouts, seventh in starts, 10th in wins and 11th in innings.
Sabathia was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2025, receiving 86.8% of the vote. He was inducted with Billy Wagner and Ichiro Suzuki, a former Yankee teammate from 2012-14.
“That ceremony was incredible, surreal,” Sabathia said. “I was saying out there I have so many famous teammates whether it’s Mo, Derek, Andy. So I’ve been at the ceremony a bunch of times but to have that ceremony be for me is special and to have my family out there was cool.”
The Yankees’ ceremony began with video messages from Jeter, Paul O’Neill, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams, and Sabathia unveiled the plaque with his wife Amber, two of his children, two friends and his mother, Margie.
After video highlights, Sabathia waved to fans from a golf cart along the warning track. He was presented with a blue blazer, a framed version of his plaque and retired number along with a ring commemorating his career from general manager Brian Cashman — who was booed by fans.
After the ceremony, Sabathia threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his son Carsten, a Milwaukee minor league first baseman.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
