Get ready for a Bronx cheer straight from Cooperstown, because CC Sabathia, the powerhouse lefty who anchored the Yankees’ 2009 World Series run, is stepping into baseball immortality this weekend. On Sunday, July 27, Sabathia was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a first-ballot selection, a rare and well-earned honor for a man who left it all on the mound for nearly two decades.
Sabathia—who also had dominant stretches with the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers—won the AL Cy Young Award, made six All-Star appearances, and racked up over 3,000 strikeouts across a 19-year MLB career. His legacy isn’t just numbers—it’s presence.
He got his standing ovation and was joined by his wife, Amber, and their four kids, including pitching prospect Carsten Sabathia, who’s already turning heads of his own.
Still in the Game—and Making an Impact
But don’t think for a second that CC has drifted away from the sport. These days, he works as a special assistant to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, serving as a key voice between players and the league.
He’s also a brand ambassador for Mastercard, which played a major role in this year’s All-Star festivities—from the Kids4Tech initiative in Atlanta to a Stand Up To Cancer tribute and even a local small-business competition that let one lucky winner toss out the first pitch.
Sabathia’s all in on the next generation of the game—and on making those priceless memories off the field. But that doesn’t mean he’s afraid to weigh in on the past.
No Love for the All-Star Home-Field Rule
When asked about MLB’s controversial rule from 2003–2016—where the winner of the All-Star Game determined home-field advantage in the World Series—CC didn’t sugarcoat it. “No. Absolutely not,” he said. “I don’t think any player ever really wanted that to be a thing.”
The rule, which was born out of the infamous 2002 tie game, was always a bit of a head-scratcher. And Sabathia didn’t hold back on how players felt about it.
“After the tie in Milwaukee, I think the commissioner’s office was not really happy about that and kinda put that rule in,” he explained. “But… you play 162 games, you play a long playoff schedule. The best team should have home field advantage.” No spin. No fluff. Just pure, old-school CC.
Whether firing 96 mph fastballs in Cleveland, carrying the Brewers to the postseason, or dominating in the Bronx, there’s no denying it—CC Sabathia has earned his place among the legends.
