Sabathia broke his own news on Monday afternoon, releasing a statement to the media. (Getty)
New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia will miss the remainder of the baseball season after he announced that he had checked into a rehabilitation center on Monday afternoon.
Sabathia released his own statement about the decision, thanking the Yankees organization for their support.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Sabathia Checked Himself into a Rehabilitation Center
New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia released a statement on Monday, detailing his decision to enter a rehabilitation facility. (Getty)
The New York Yankees veteran checked himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center on Monday. Sabathia issued a statement, with the New York Yankees, on the decision, writing:
Today I am checking myself into an alcohol rehabilitation center to receive the professional care and assistance needed to treat my disease…I love baseball and I love my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last push toward the World Series. It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player.
2. He Is Expected to Miss the Yankees Entire Postseason Run
Sabathia, 35, was a viable candidate to start in the American League Division Series, should the Yankees defeat the Houston Astros in Tuesday’s Wild Card Game. However, the long-time pitcher is now expected to miss the team’s entire postseason run, however long that should last.
“It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player,” Sabathia wrote in a statement.
Ivan Nova is now the lone Yankee starter with playoff experience. He started one game in the 2011 Division Series against Detroit. Sabathia had become a part of pinstripe lore when he won three of four starts, all on three day’s rest, during the team’s 2009 World Series run. The performance helped earn him AL Championship Series MVP honors.
3. Sabathia Said He Wants ‘To Take Control of My Disease’
Sabathia’s news caught many fans by surprise on Monday with most completely unaware that the standout pitcher was battling issues with alcohol. Of course, the decision to share the news was challenging for Sabathia, who wrote:
As difficult as this decision is to share publicly, I don’t want to run and hide. But for now please respect my family’s need for privacy as we work through this challenge together. Being an adult means being accountable. Being a baseball player means that others look up to you. I want my kids — and others who may have become fans of mine over the years — to know that I am not too big of a man to ask for help.
Sabathia made headlines earlier this year when he was involved in a street fight in Toronto. A video, released by TMZ, showed the 6-foot-7 Sabathia yelling and pointing at someone before a group of friends pulled him back into a cab. Sabathia said he was “glad I ended up getting in the cab before everything that went down.”
Then, at the end of August, Sabathia was involved in another bizarre situation when a photo agency reportedly offered to sell him a pitcher of him standing on a balcony smoking marijuana. The pitcher took matters into his own hands, posting the same photo on Instagram with the hashtags #ItsOnlyACigar and #MiniCigarillos.
4. He Added He Hopes to Be Back on the Field Next Season
Sabathia thanked the Yankees for their support in his statement on Monday afternoon. (Instagram)
Sabathia wrapped up his written statement by saying that he is “looking forward to being out on the field with my team next season playing the game that brings me so much happiness.”
The long-time New York standout has one year remaining on his contract with the Yankees and is slated to make $25 million 2015. The team also has a vesting option for 2017.
Cashman: “We will do everything in our power to support CC.”
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman held a press conference to address the news on Monday, telling reporters he had learned of Sabathia’s decision on Sunday. “Time and place have no bearing,” said Cashman. “There is something that needs to been taken care of.”
5. Sabathia Suffered Through Injuries Earlier This Year
The left-handed pitcher got back on track after an up-and-down season when he returned to the lineup in September. (Getty)
It’s been an up-and-down season for Sabathia.
Not too long ago, Sabathia re-injured his right knee and faced rumors as to whether or not he would ever pitch again. But then, things started to change.
Since returning from the disabled list on September 9, Sabathia had been excellent, boasting a 2.25 ERA while going 2-2 on the mound. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that Sabathia realized he need to return to form and worked to make sure he was a major part of the Yankees success:
I don’t know if he took it as a challenge. Maybe he did. I think it’s just CC. CC loves to compete and expects a lot from himself and is used to being the top of a rotation’s stopper type of guy who has a lot of pride. For me, personally, I don’t think he needed a challenge, but I think it’s who he is. I think he’s extremely frustrated with the way things had gone.
Sabathia finished the regular season with a 6-10 record and a 4.73 ERA.
Comments
CC Sabathia Entering Rehab: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know