Aug 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Former Cleveland Indians player CC Sabathia poses for a photo during his Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame ceremony before the game between the Guardians and the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Yankees Captains Give CC Sabathia His Flowers After Baseball Hall of Fame Induction

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Jan 22, 2025 8:00 AM ET

On January 21, it was announced that CC Sabathia, a longtime New York Yankees left-handed hurler, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Out of the 394 ballots cast, Sabathia (whose first year it was on the Hall of Fame ballot) received 342 votes (or 86.8%). That surpasses the 75% vote it requires to get inducted into Cooperstown.

Before the voting results were revealed on Monday, The Athletic's Brendan Kuty re-shared a quote from 2018 that current Yankees captain Aaron Judge had about having Sabathia as a teammate.

It didn't take long for Judge and his captain predecessor Derek Jeter (who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020) to send heartfelt statements congratulating Sabathia on Monday.

"During my career with the Yankees, I had the honor of playing with so many talented players. No player exemplified a Hall-of-Fame player and person more than CC Sabathia. His career on the field speaks for itself, but it’s his career as a teammate that stands out the most. I look forward to welcoming CC to Cooperstown," Jeter said, per an X post from Yankees MLB.com reporter Bryan Hoch.

Yankees captain Derek Jeter:

“During my career with the Yankees, I had the honor of playing with so many talented players. No player exemplified a Hall-of-Fame player and person more than CC Sabathia. His career on the field speaks for itself, but it’s his career as a teammate…
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) January 22, 2025

Hoch also made an X post that quoted Judge who wrote, “CC was an incredible competitor, teammate and leader who embodied the heart and soul of our team and this city. As a leader, CC led by example, demonstrating courage, resilience and integrity in the face of adversity — literally leaving it all out on the field. As a teammate, CC was the ultimate glue that held us together, celebrating our successes and supporting us through our challenges. His legacy extends far beyond his accomplishments, as he’s left an indelible mark on the lives of everyone who got the opportunity to share the field with him.”

Yankees captain Aaron Judge:

“CC was an incredible competitor, teammate and leader who embodied the heart and soul of our team and this city. As a leader, CC led by example, demonstrating courage, resilience and integrity in the face of adversity — literally leaving it all out…
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) January 22, 2025