Yankees to retire CC Sabathia’s iconic No. 52 in 2026, honoring 2009 World Series hero

The New York Yankees will retire No. 52 of Carsten Charles “CC” Sabathia on September 26, 2026, to join a list of one of the most exclusive lists in baseball. Sabathia, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025, will make him the 24th player in franchise history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame with his number retired. The ceremony will involve the unveiling of a plaque in Monument Park, further cementing his legacy in the Bronx. Sabathia's honor is the first Yankees number retirement since Paul O'Neill in 2022 and serves as yet another example of the organization's longstanding tradition of honoring its icons.Sabathia came to New York before the 2009 season on a then-record seven-year $161 million contract, and was the immediate ace the Yankees needed. In his first season, he went 19-8 with an ERA of 3.37 and led the team through the postseason on his way to a World Series championship. He was an ALCS MVP, and he set the tone for a championship rotation.In 11 seasons with the Yankees between 2009 and 2019, Sabathia had a record of 134-88, with a 3.81 ERA in almost 2000 innings. He ranks among the top 10 in wins, starts, and strikeouts by a franchise. In his career, which spanned 19 years, including time with the Cleveland and Milwaukee, he had 3,093 strikeouts, passing the 3,000 threshold, a distinction frequently applied to baseball Hall of Fame pitchers. Though injuries and a declining velocity affected his seasons later, Sabathia adapted his strategy and was a constant presence in the clubhouse.The Yankees have retired more numbers than any other team in Major League Baseball, and the Yankees do not reissue them, which shows the significance of the honor. Sabathia's No. 52 will now join legends in Monument Park, both for his statistical accomplishments and for his role in giving the franchise its 27th World Series title.On Sept. 26, the Yankees will make Sabathia's number official, a tribute to one of the defining pitchers of the late 2000s and 2010s in New York.