CC Sabathia Says Yankees Retiring His Number Feels 'Bigger Than' Being Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame (Exclusive)

CC Sabathia with his Hall of Fame plaque during the 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Induction Ceremony at Clark Sports Center on July 27, 2025 in Cooperstown, New York. Credit: Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty NEED TO KNOW CC Sabathia was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025, and will be honored once again this year when the Yankees retire his number The legendary pitcher — who was No. 52 while playing for the Yankees — tells PEOPLE it's "surreal" that his number will be officially retired by the team this fall Sabathia recently participated in MLB Opening Night, where he provided commentary on Netflix alongside Matt Vasgersian and Hunter Pence CC Sabathia has seen countless highlights over his 19-season MLB career, but perhaps his biggest honor yet will take place this fall.

The former New York Yankee will experience a milestone when the team retires his number and dedicates a plaque in his honor before their Sept. 26 game at Monument Park against the Baltimore Orioles. Sabathia, 45, may no longer play in the league, but he's very much still a member of the MLB family.

The athlete joined Netflix on March 25 as a booth analyst for the streamer's live broadcast of MLB Opening Night, where the San Francisco Giants faced off against the New York Yankees at Oracle Park in San Francisco. While speaking with PEOPLE at the event, Sabathia said the honor of having his Yankees number retired feels even "a little bigger" than his 2025 induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame. "I feel like New York is such a tough place to play," he says.

"It's so hard to get your number retired there. " Sabathia first joined the Yankees in 2009 and played for team as No. 52 until his final season in 2019.