The New York Yankees will retire CC Sabathia's number 52 jersey this September, adding another legend to Monument Park.

When CC Sabathia first entered the Yankees' clubhouse in 2009, the team’s chemistry instantly shifted. He not only delivered the dominance expected of an ace pitcher but also proved to be an exceptional teammate, sparking a journey that culminated in the franchise’s 27th World Series title. Now, Sabathia will earn a permanent place in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

The Yankees announced today that Sabathia’s number 52 jersey will be retired, with a commemorative plaque unveiled before the game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 26, U.S. time.

As a 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Sabathia will become the 24th Yankee player or manager to have his number retired, the first since Paul O’Neill’s number 21 was retired on August 21, 2022.

Sabathia joins four other members from the Yankees’ most recent championship team who have had their numbers retired: Derek Jeter (2), Andy Pettitte (46), Jorge Posada (20), and Mariano Rivera (42).

“I think we all felt the pressure of the new stadium and those big signings; the clubhouse chemistry and stuff,” Sabathia once recalled. “We felt it, but that team was so great, and we were so close. Honestly, that was one of our driving forces.”

Sabathia’s number 52 is the Yankees’ 23rd retired number; previously, number 8 was retired jointly for catchers Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra on July 22, 1972.

Before the 2009 season, Sabathia signed a seven-year, $161 million contract, which was then the largest ever for a free-agent pitcher. That season, he started 34 games for the Yankees, going 19-8 with a 3.37 ERA. In the playoffs, he started five games, winning four and losing one, earning ALCS MVP honors with a 2-0 record and a 1.13 ERA in the six-game series over the Angels.

But his impact extended far beyond the mound. That Yankees team, though filled with veterans, needed a unifying force. Sabathia took on that role, bringing the team together by organizing barbecues and group outings to NBA games.

“When a player of his stature shows that kind of selflessness, it resonates throughout every corner of the clubhouse,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. “CC changed this team in many ways.”

Sabathia shined from 2010 to 2012, making the All-Star team three years in a row. He later faced struggles and injuries, including a right knee surgery in July 2014 that ended his season. In his mid-30s, as his velocity declined, he consulted with Pettitte—who also adapted late in his career by relying on cutters and control. Rejuvenated, Sabathia posted a 14-5 record with a 3.69 ERA in 2017, helping the Yankees come within one win of the World Series.

“CC’s greatest strength was his mindset. He was relentless,” Pettitte said. “He had that bulldog mentality, sometimes to a fault, seizing every opportunity to pitch. On the mound, he was a true warrior, a rare quality.”

A frequently cited example highlights Sabathia’s fiery competitor nature and loyalty as a teammate: in his final start of the 2018 season, he was ejected after hitting Rays’ Jesús Sucre with a pitch, retaliating for a previous brushback pitch against Yankees’ Austin Romine.

With just six outs away from earning a $500,000 bonus, Sabathia showed no hesitation: “For me, it was about protecting my brothers.” (The Yankees later privately paid that bonus.)

Over 11 seasons with the Yankees, Sabathia appeared in 307 games (306 starts), compiling a 134-88 record with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts. In franchise history, he ranks fourth in strikeouts, seventh in starts, tenth in wins, and eleventh in innings pitched.

“What matters most to me is hearing teammates say how much they enjoyed fielding behind me, competing with me, and being my teammate,” Sabathia said. “Stats are stats. You give your best every time, and the results are what they are, but what’s important is how you treat people and handle yourself. I hope I did it the right way.”