If the Yankees’ most accomplished pitcher had suffered an elbow injury on the eve of the playoffs, or hurt his knee, or wrenched his back, the team would have moved on. With so many games over so many months, baseball players are used to this.
But when C. C. Sabathia announced Monday that he was checking himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center and would not pitch again this season, it was different. The Yankees’ affection for Sabathia, within the clubhouse and the front office, overrode the inconvenient timing.
“The fact that he is tackling this in an honest and open way, the fact that he’s doing it right before our postseason starts, you take a step back and you acknowledge the courage that must take,” General Manager Brian Cashman said.