Veteran left-hander CC Sabathia plans to continue his career in 2018, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link). The 37-year-old impending free agent may have taken the mound as a Yankee for the last time on Saturday, when he tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings of four-hit, six-strikeout ball in a win over the Blue Jays.
Whether New York advances past Minnesota in Tuesday’s AL wild-card game could help determine if Sabathia will get the ball again as a Yankee. The potential Hall of Famer was instrumental in the team’s regular-season success, pitching to a 3.69 ERA over 148 2/3 innings. Although Sabathia didn’t post gaudy strikeout and walk numbers (7.26 K/9, 3.03 BB/9), he helped offset that by logging a groundball percentage of 49.9 and, according to FanGraphs, the majors’ sixth-best hard contact rate among starters with at least 140 frames.
While the Yankees and Sabathia may part ways in the offseason, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team re-sign the franchise icon – especially considering fellow starters Masahiro Tanaka and Jaime Garcia could hit the market. Formerly with the Indians and Brewers, the 2007 AL Cy Young winner joined the Yankees prior to the 2009 season on a seven-year, $161MM contract and has turned into one of the most successful starters in their storied history. He helped the Yankees to their most recent World Series title in 2009, the first of five straight 200-inning seasons with the club, and has recorded a 3.75 ERA and accounted for 30.5 fWAR/28.5 rWAR across 255 starts (1,657 2/3 frames) in the Bronx.
Sabathia endured a rough, injury-impacted stretch from 2013-15, a period in which his ERA ballooned to 4.81 in 69 starts, but has overcome knee issues to reemerge as a capable starter over the past couple years. The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder is finishing up the five-year, $142MM extension he signed in 2011, when the Yankees gave him a raise to prevent an opt-out. Sabathia’s next deal obviously won’t approach his expiring pact in length or value, but he clearly made a case for a solid short-term payday during the regular season. The only question is whether it’ll come from the Yankees or another team.
Any of his former teams make sense
It would be tremendous to see him with Milwaukee again. Probaby a long shot though.
Is he really a Hall of Famer? Potentially they all are, but does he have a shot?
I think he has a shot, but probably not. He’d have like the second highest ERA in the hall
If he gets 3,000 strikeouts, that could impact it greatly. Off the top of my head, the only 3,000 K guys not in the Hall are Clemens (because of steroids) and Schilling.
Some people hypothesize Schilling (because of his political views)
He plans running for Massachusetts Senate in 2018 against Elizabeth Warren, so I doubt he cares. (Or does he?)
Do you think it’s BS, or is he good enough to get in the Hall?
I guess he doesn’t have enough wins or something, but if you look at his postseason success that would be enough to get in. But in the real world your political inclinations matter in things like this.
Shilling is all BS, including his failed business that soaked many when it went bankrupt.
On the field, he is borderline.
I think political views should be left out of HoF voting for the most part. I think Schilling is kind of on the borderline. I don’t mind him getting in, but I won’t cry if he doesn’t. He was a holy terror to face in October.
Great pitcher in a hitting era but not quite HOF. Reminds me of Schilling in that he simply made the team he was on better. Schilling though deserves HOF stature before C.C. That said, expect his career to continue and let’s wait to see what the future holds. Also, i do expect he’ll be back with the Yankees.
I don’t really see it. The HOF standards for pitchers are extremely high, and Sabathia sandwiched a really good 5-year prime with about 12 average seasons. Fantastic career, no question, but I’d be surprised if he gets a ton of run
If CC Sabathia gets into the Hall, Orel Hershiser should’ve been first ballot.
CC was a nice pitcher, but a HOFer?
Not to be a wet blanket, but his chances will definitely be buoyed by being a Yankee for so long. He certainly needs the 3,000 K’s.
No. Hall of Very Good, maybe…
I do not see CC in the hall of fame. He was not consistent enough and his inability to control his weight eventually led to injuries and performance declines.
I love CC but can’t even begin to debate his HOF candidacy while Schilling and Mussina are out. Even then it’s the longest of shots. Maybe a legendary post season run would boost it but still, think he’s gotta settle for Hall of Very Very Good
Agree about Schilling and Mussina plus Halladay will be eligible soon. Then there’s active pitchers like Greinke and Kershaw who are better qualified. If CC can have a couple decent seasons like this year to pad his counting stats, then he won’t be a long shot. ,
I’d be very happy to have CC back for another year. Probably take the Andy Pettitte route and sign a string of 1 year deals until he decides to retire. I’m thinking he’ll get something like a 1 year, $10 M – $15 M deal?
Hopefully New York will resign him. Other than Luis Severino he was the most consistent starter and with Garcia and Tanaka heading to free agency Cashman will probably try to resign him to 1yr/10mill or something like that
Tanaka has to opt out..and that’s a huge if…
I don’t think its a very big if. He’s almost been confirmed to opt out since he’s been stronger.
will no get a contract for 2017 no good when looking at total season. Very bad
says Larry, as he takes another swig from the bottle.
Larry can’t even string a sentence together
I can see Milwaukee, Minnesota, Seattle and maybe even LAA having discussions about him as a backend rotation arm.
I wonder if he comes back to the Bay area to sign with a home team
Don’t resign CC! He was awful at times even this year. Can’t be trusted. Glad he will be gone along with hopefully tanaka . Garcia should not even be mentioned
Somebody has to pitch
If the Yankees re-sign Jaime Garcia the fans will burn down Yankee Stadium. He’s always had flashes of being a good picture, but ultimately he’s a 5 inning 3+ ER guy most every outing.
CC loves living in Alpine, NJ, lives there year round. Yanks will re-sign him, but the dark horse is the Mets, he would be a much needed veteran presence in that clubhouse. The Yanks, Indians, and Brew teams he was on were all winners…
This. He would definitely prefer to stay with the Yankees, but if the Yankees only offer one year he might go for 2/$32 from the Mets rather than 1/$18 from the Yankees. He could easily fall off again next year so it would be smart to bank an extra year if possible.
I would like to see him back with the Yankees but at a reduced salary. He has been tremendous this year.
Scratch NL teams off the list. With his knee, he is not batting. He should look to join the Indians again and end his career where he started it.
Agreed on AL clubs only.
But he could bat cleanup for the Padres on days he’s not pitching
CC has proven he can still be a good pitcher, he has transformed himself. Any team would be interested in having him if they have a spot at the right price, he could be a bargain. I would think 8 to 10 million on a yearly basics.
Garcia is a goner, he pitched like crap most of the time, and copped an attitude with Girardi, when he didn’t trust him. I think CC’s future depends on what Tanaka does. If he opt’s in CC is probably a goner. But if Tanaka goes, they attempt to re-sign CC.
I’d like to see him as a Yankee next year. He may not have the velocity of old, but he knows how to pitch. Maybe not an ace anymore, but definitely an asset to a rotation.
He’s an important club house guy and is seems to be held in high esteem by his team mates.
I’m sure money will be an issue – if only in the media. It’d be ideal that he comes back in the $8 to $12M range for a year.
Would the braves have any interest?
Re-sign him, 2 years $24m