Yankees Retire CC Sabathia's No. 52, Honor Hall of Famer with Monument Park Plaque
Sabathia becomes the 24th player or manager in franchise history to have his number retired.
CC Sabathia, Hall of Fame left-hander, had his No. 52 retired by the New York Yankees and received a plaque in Monument Park during a ceremony Friday. He is the 24th player or manager in franchise history to be so honored.
Sabathia joins Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada as the fifth member of the 2009 World Series champion Yankees team with a retired number and plaque. He signed a $161 million, seven-year contract with the Yankees before the 2009 season, which was the largest for a free-agent pitcher at the time.
In his first season with the Yankees, Sabathia went 19-8 with a 3.37 ERA in 34 starts. He was awarded the AL Championship Series MVP for his performance against the Los Angeles Angels and started Games 1 and 4 of the World Series, which the Yankees won for their 27th title.
Over his 19-season career with the Cleveland Indians (2001-2008), Milwaukee Brewers (2008), and Yankees (2009-2019), Sabathia amassed a record of 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, ranking third among left-handers in strikeouts. During his 11 seasons in New York, he posted a 134-88 record with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts, placing him fourth in franchise history for strikeouts, seventh in starts, 10th in wins, and 11th in innings pitched.
Sabathia was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2025 on his first ballot, receiving 86.8% of the vote, and was inducted alongside Billy Wagner and Ichiro Suzuki. He described the Yankees' retirement ceremony as "incredible" and "surreal," noting the presence of his family and many former teammates.
The ceremony included video messages from former Yankees like Jeter, Paul O'Neill, Jorge Posada, and Bernie Williams. Sabathia unveiled his plaque with his wife, two children, two friends, and his mother. Following a video montage of his career highlights, he waved to the crowd from a golf cart. He received a blue blazer, a framed replica of his plaque and retired number, and a commemorative ring from general manager Brian Cashman. Sabathia concluded the event by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to his son, Carsten, who is a first baseman in the Milwaukee minor league system.