CY Young Award Winner, World Series Champion, 6x All-Star, future Hall of Famer, 20-game winner and now, 3,000 strikeouts. On April 8, 2001, a 20-year old Cleveland Indians left-hander named CC Sabathia recorded his first career strikeout. On April 30, 2019, a 38-year old New York Yankees left-hander named CC Sabathia recorded his 3,000th career strikeout.
As he nears the end of his storied 19 year career in the big leagues, which may lead to a future hall of fame induction down the road, New York Yankees left-hander, CC Sabathia, added another impressive accolade to his already extensive Cooperstown resume, by picking up his 3,000th career strikeout, by getting former battery-mate, John Ryan Murphy, to chase a 1-2 changeup in the bottom of the 2nd inning at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday night.
Sabathia, who entered the night with 2,997 career punch outs, wasted no time, by striking out the side in the 2nd inning, retiring David Peralta, Christian Walker and John Ryan Murphy. The 2007 CY Young Award winner becomes the 17th pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to strikeout 3,000 batters on a big league mound, joining the likes of Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Bob Gibson and Curt Schilling, just to name a few.
Arizona Diamondbacks Manager, Torey Lovullo, who managed CC as a teenager in Triple-A in the Cleveland Indians organization, has no doubt in his mind that the 2009 World Champion has secured a spot in the hall of fame, saying “I feel like he should be a slam dunk Hall of Famer.”
“He resurrected that Cleveland organization and carried it on his back for many years. He was traded to Milwaukee and drove them into the playoffs. He came over to New York and won a World Series. He’s built up some very impressive stats. I’m biased I know, but he checks every box. I’m hoping it will happen.”
Yankees skipper, Aaron Boone, also commented on Sabathia’s milestone, saying that people should take notice when players reach the 3,000 plateau. “It’s one of those awesome numbers: 3,000 hits, 500 homers, 3,000 strikeouts. That’s what I grew up with in my mind, and I think I got to see Rod Carew hit 3,000, Reggie [Jackson] 500 [homers], Don Sutton 3,000 [strikeouts], 300 wins”.
One of CC’s longtime friends and opponents, former Baltimore Oriole and current Arizona D-Backs outfielder, Adam Jones, also didn’t hold back in congratulating his friend, telling ESPN that Sabathia had always treated him “like a little brother” during his big-league tenure, as Jones holds the honor of facing the big man more times than any other hitter in history (105 career plate appearances).
“He’s one of the biggest names in the game for the last two decades, and he’s the [third] African-American pitcher with at least that many strikeouts,” said Jones, who went 0-2 with a walk in 3 plate appearances against the left-hander on Tuesday.
Carsten Charles Sabathia Jr. joins MLB Hall of Famers, Bob Gibson and Fergie Jenkins as the only three African American pitchers to amass 3,000 strikeouts in their careers. Sabathia becomes the first pitcher to reach 3,000 K’s since John Smoltz picked up his 3,000th strikeout on April 22, 2008 for the Atlanta Braves, punching out Felipe Lopez of the Washington Nationals.
Throughout his storied career, with the Cleveland Indians, where he won his first and only CY Young Award in 2007, Milwaukee Brewers, where he spent half a season leading the “Brew Crew” to a late postseason run, and New York Yankees, where he accomplished his ultimate goal in baseball, winning the 2009 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, as well as the 2009 ALCS MVP Award against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Sabathia has faced much adversity on route to 3,000 strikeouts.
In December of 2018, Sabathia underwent an unexpected angioplasty, which required doctors to insert a stent to open up a blocked artery near his heart, which followed a prior surgery done on CC’s right knee. In 2015, the former 20-game winner suffered through alcoholism, leading to his early exit in September of that year, entering rehab to treat the addiction.
Not to mention, Sabathia, alongside his wife, Amber, started The “PitCCh-In” Foundation, back in 2008, helping to enrich the lives of inner-city youth, in the ways they need it most. The foundation has helped hundreds, if not more, around the globe, as they are set to host their 2nd annual celebrity softball game at Yankee Stadium, later this year.
Despite all the ups and downs, CC Sabathia got the chance to celebrate his accomplishment at Chase Field Tuesday night, with his teammates, as well as his wife, Amber and four children, Carsten Charles III, Cyia, Jaeden and Carter, who sat dugout-side to see their father make history.
In his final season in baseball, CC Sabathia has accomplished almost every individual accomplishment a pitcher can. The left-hander now aims to bring the World Series title back to the Bronx for the 28th time in franchise history to end his storied career, and although the big man will hang em’ up at the end of 2019, time will tell if he and Ryan Ruocco will continue “R2C2” (Available on all podcast platforms) during CC’s retirement.
With 3,002 strikeouts and counting, it’s time to get CC Sabathia his 2nd World Series ring to send him off into the sunset.
