Ap 22, 2008; Kansas City, MO, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher (52) C.C. Sabathia delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-Imagn Images John Rieger-Imagn Images

C.C. Sabathia Thought He'd Pitch In Cleveland Forever

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Tommy Wild | Last updated Jan 22, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Cleveland Guardians have faced some scrutiny this offseason with their controversial trades of Andres Gimenez and Josh Naylor. However, the reality is that trading top talent while they still hold value is nothing new for the organization.

This trend goes back to the Francisco Lindor trade in 2021 and even the C.C. Sabathia trade during the 2008 season.

Sabathia was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday evening. Following the announcement, he spoke to the media about his career.

On Tuesday night, he told media members, "It was devastating getting traded from Cleveland, 'cause I thought I would be there forever."

This likely isn't what Guardians fans want to hear from a player who was one of the top pitchers in baseball when he was traded and continued to be an ace with another team, but it still shows Sabathia's admiration for the city.

You can't tell the story of Sabathia's legendary career without starting with his time in Cleveland. He pitched for the then-Indians for eight seasons and won the 2007 Cy Young award.

Sabathia has been vocal about how he believed he grew up in the city, even though he's from --. Fans may best know the legendary pitcher for his time with the New York Yankees, but Sabathia initially never pictured what life would be like outside of the Cleveland organization.

That said, while Sabathia is thankful for his time in Cleveland, he will enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Yankees hat and said New York is his "home."

This still doesn't take away from everything he accomplished with the Indians and the legacy he left as one of the best pitchers in Cleveland's history.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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