As CC Sabathia awaits the results of his first appearance on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) Hall of Fame ballot in 2025, the former pitcher has made one thing abundantly clear: he will represent the New York Yankees if enshrined in Cooperstown.
“Absolutely,” the 44-year-old said without hesitation when asked about his Hall of Fame cap during a recent charity event for his PitCCh In Foundation. Sabathia, who spent 11 seasons in New York, solidified his legacy with the Yankees, achieving some of the most memorable milestones of his career in pinstripes.
Sabathia’s career stats bolster his case for enshrinement. Across 19 seasons, he tallied 251 wins, a 3.74 ERA, and 3,093 strikeouts over 3,577.1 innings. As one of only 19 pitchers in MLB history to surpass 3,000 strikeouts, Sabathia joins an elite group whose members—excluding Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling—are largely Hall of Famers.
“I feel pretty good having 250 wins and 3,000 strikeouts,” Sabathia said. “That’s a huge accomplishment for me.”
CC Sabathia eyes Hall of Fame as a New York Yankee
While he started his career with the then Cleveland Indians, where he won a Cy Young Award in 2007, Sabathia credits his time with the Yankees for cementing his legacy.
In his first season in New York, Sabathia delivered a dominant postseason performance, earning ALCS MVP honors and leading the Yankees to their 27th World Series title. He finished the 2009 playoffs with a remarkable 1.98 ERA over five starts.
“That was the pinnacle of my career,” Sabathia said of the Yankees’ championship season. “It means a lot to be remembered for that.”
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Despite his accolades, Sabathia remains modest about his Hall of Fame chances.
“I’m excited,” he said. “That’s something that I never thought about when I was playing or dreamt about, but to have people consider me to be a Hall of Famer is exciting. We’ll see what happens.”
His durability and consistency over nearly two decades of professional baseball set him apart. Few pitchers have sustained such a high level of performance for as long, and Sabathia’s ability to adapt as he aged only strengthened his legacy.
Sabathia’s 2025 ballot also features other prominent names, including former teammate Ichiro Suzuki, who is considered a lock for first-ballot induction. Additional candidates with Yankees ties include Carlos Beltrán, Andy Pettitte, and Álex Rodríguez, though many face uphill battles to secure the 75% of votes required for induction.
For Sabathia, the possibility of being immortalized in Cooperstown is the culmination of a journey he never imagined when he started playing baseball to help his family.
“To have people consider my career that way, it’s just a blessing in itself,” he said.
The 2025 Hall of Fame results will be announced on Jan. 21, but if Sabathia’s confidence and résumé are any indication, Yankees fans may soon see another legend immortalized in Cooperstown.
