CC Sabathia number retirement: Yankees to retire No. 52 during 2026 MLB season
CC Sabathia was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee last summer. He will now be immortalized in Monument Park. On Wednesday, the New York Yankees announced that Sabathia’s number 52 would be retired on September 26. He will be the 24th player to have his number retired by the franchise.
“The Yankees were the place that wanted me,” Sabathia said after being elected in Cooperstown. “I’ve been here 16 years now. I love the other organizations, but this is home. I found a home in the Bronx and I don’t think I’ll ever leave this city.”
Signed in December 2008 to a record $161 million contract, Sabathia was the ace of New York’s most recent World Series championship team in 2009, and he played 11 of his 19 MLB seasons with the Yankees. He found the most success early in his tenure in the Bronx, posting a 3.22 ERA and averaging 239 innings per year from 2009 to 2011.
Sabathia appeared in three All-Star Games with the Yankees and finished in the top four in Cy Young voting three times. He also received MVP votes in three seasons. Overall, Sabathia went 134-88 with the Yankees and had a 3.81 ERA in nearly 2,000 innings. He is in the top 10 in franchise history in wins, starts and strikeouts.
Beyond his on-field contributions, Sabathia was also a beloved teammate, a club leader and remains a fan favorite. He still regularly attends games at Yankee Stadium as a fan. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman credited Sabathia with changing the team’s culture after signing before the 2009 season.
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Sabathia will be the first player to have his number retired by the Yankees since Paul O’Neill’s number 21 in August 2022. The Yankees have the most numbers retired in baseball and even asked their coaches not to wear numbers therefore more are available for their players.
Before signing with the Yankees, Sabathia pitched for Cleveland (2001-08) and the Milwaukee Brewers (2008). He retired with a 251-161 record and a 3.74 ERA. His 3,093 strikeouts place him third all-time among lefties behind Randy Johnson (4,875) and Steve Carlton (4,136).
The Yankees will also dedicate a plaque in Sabathia’s honor at Monument Park on September 26. The team has not reissued its No. 52 since its last season. He has a Yankees logo on his Hall of Fame plaque.
