CC Sabathia to Enter Rehab, Miss Postseason

Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse for the New York Yankees, it did. CC Sabathia, one of the most stable and reliable pieces of the Yankees starting pitching rotation over the last few years has come out and announced he will miss the postseason as he is checking himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center. This comes at a very tough time for the Yankees as they are entering the postseason tomorrow versus the Houston Astros in the Wild Card game.

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Many people were predicting that Sabathia would possibly start Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series for the Yankees, if they made it through the Wild Card, considering he pitched solid late in the season this year. He started the season pitching horribly with an ERA well above 5.00, but by September he had bounced back and produced several decent outings resulting in an ERA of only 2.17 in September.

His record was only 6-10 overall on the year, but he turned out to be one of the most reliable options down the stretch for the Yankees when they needed wins the most. The Yankees hoped he would provide a reliable pitching arm this postseason, but now that plan has been thrown out the window.

Though this is frustrating news for both the Yankees and their fans, you have to give credit to the man for doing the right thing. Below is the statement Sabathia statement gave the press:

"“Today I am checking myself into an alcohol rehabilitation center to receive the professional care and assistance needed to treat my disease. I love baseball and I love my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last push toward the World Series. It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player. I want to thank the New York Yankees organization for their encouragement and understanding. Their support gives me great strength and has allowed me to move forward with this decision with a clear mind. As difficult as this decision is to share publicly, I don’t want to run and hide. But for now please respect my family’s need for privacy as we work through this challenge together. Being an adult means being accountable. Being a baseball player means that others look up to you. I want my kids — and others who may have become fans of mine over the years — to know that I am not too big of a man to ask for help. I want to hold my head up high, have a full heart and be the type of person again that I can be proud of. And that’s exactly what I am going to do. I am looking forward to being out on the field with my team next season playing the game that brings me so much happiness.” – C.C. Sabathia (via m.yankees.mlb.com/)"

This man clearly wants to get his life right again, and by admitting it to the press just shows the type of class act we all know this guy to be both on and off the field. He will be sorely miss in the rotation this season as shaky as his outings have been this season, but it’s just one more thing the Yankees will have to rally around and get through as a team.

Postseason Implications

So what does this mean for the rotation if they make it to the ALDS? Well that gives the Yankees several options. First most Yankee fans and Major League Baseball experts expect top options Masahiro Tanaka (12-7, 3.51 ERA) and Luis Severino (5-3, 2.89 ERA) are absolute certainties in the rotation this postseason based on their regular season performances. After those two though the rotation is shaky.

With C.C. Sabathia out of the rotation, starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi might be relied upon more so than ever before in his career. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

If Nathan Eovaldi (14-3, 4.30 ERA) is good to go and is back from his elbow injury for the ALDS, expect him to possibly be in the rotation with maybe one or two more pitchers. Probable’s for the fourth and fifth spot (if needed) in the rotation are Michael Pineda (12-10, ERA 4.37), Ivan Nova (6-11, 5.07 ERA), and Adam Warren (7-7, 3.29 ERA). None of those options provide much confidence, and Adam Warren has been primarily used as a middle reliever for the Yankees this year, so we’ll have to wait and see who the Yankees will turn to to pick up big wins this postseason, if we make it past the Wild Card game.

First things first though, the Yankees must take this news in stride just like all the other injuries and drama that have happened this year and rebound and play well tomorrow in the Wild Card. The Yankees can’t afford to jump ahead of themselves because they’ve got to take care of business first. That business right now is in the form of the Houston Astros.

On the flip side, I want to wish Sabathia the best as he enters into an alcohol rehabilitation center, and hope he comes back a renewed and changed man, a better father and teammate, and ready to gives his all again for the New York Yankees next season.

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