An undated picture of Hall of Fame left-hander CC Sabathia. — Reuters
Hall of Fame left-hander CC Sabathia will join the pantheon of New York Yankees legends when his No. 52 is retired, and a plaque in his honour is added to Monument Park on 26th September.
Sabathia becomes the 24th Yankee to have his number retired and the first since Paul O’Neill in 2022. He also joins Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera as the fifth member of the Yankees’ 2009 World Series-winning squad to receive the honour.
Reflecting on the milestone, Sabathia expressed the achievement as an honour.
“From the first number that hung in my locker to 52 forever hanging in Monument Park, this HOF journey has come full circle. To have my number retired by the New York Yankees this year is one of the greatest honours of my life. The LegaCCy continues,” Sabathia said.
The 45-year-old left-hander received baseball’s highest accolade last year when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a first-ballot selection.
Sabathia amassed a career record of 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA across stints with Cleveland, the Milwaukee Brewers, and New York.
Joining the Yankees in 2009, Sabathia played a pivotal role in the franchise’s 27th World Series title, posting a 1.98 ERA over five games and earning ALCS MVP honours.
Over 11 seasons in the Bronx, he made three All-Star appearances and finished third in 2010 AL Cy Young Award voting, compiling a 134-88 record with a 3.81 ERA.
Sabathia ranks fourth in franchise history with 1,700 strikeouts and stands 10th on the Yankees’ all-time wins list.
“Thank you all for the support, it means everything!!!” he added.