C.C. Sabathia’s free agency presumably got a lot simpler after the Yankees, who came achingly close to advancing to the World Series back in October, went out and snagged the reigning National League MVP. To absolutely no one’s great surprise, Sabathia would prefer to spend his age-38 season getting run support from New York’s absolutely terrifying lineup:
“CC feels there’s unfinished business to attend to,” his agent, Kyle Thousand of Roc Nation Sports, told MLB.com. “There were competitive offers that CC was weighing, but in the end, CC wanted to come back and win a championship with the Yankees. He loves his teammates, the clubhouse and the moves the Yankees are making. He wants to bring home another championship to the Yankee fans.”
Sabathia’s knee troubles had his career in doubt as recently as this past summer, but he mostly kicked ass for the Yankees in 2017, and had a dominant outing in Game 3 of the ALCS. He gutted his way through a rough start in Game 7, and was ultimately charged with the loss, but Yankees fans will remember Tommy Kahnle giving up three runs in the fifth inning and New York’s offense coming up completely empty as what doomed their team. Sabathia, if he’s healthy, gives the Yankees another rock solid starter, and gives new manager Aaron Boone an interesting decision to make: headed into spring training the Yankees will have all of Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka, Sonny Gray, Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery, and Chad Greene as possible starting pitchers. The last goddamn thing the baseball world needs is the Yankees operating from another position of strength.