MLB Rumors: Why Re-Signing CC Sabathia Can Be a Good Move for the New York Yankees
Yankees have already reached out to Sabathia this offseason
Since signing up to be a member of the New York Yankees all the way back in December of 2008, CC Sabathia has been a staple of the team's rotation and one of its veteran leaders.
His Yankee career got off to a great start, as he turned in a stellar 2009 campaign and played a key role in the team claiming the World Series title later that same year. Sabathia even took home the 2009 American League Championship Series MVP award for his dominant outings against the Los Angeles Angels.
Sabathia then followed up that terrific 2009 season with some more strong campaigns – his numbers in 2011 were particularly impressive, as seen in Baseball-Reference – and while he also had some down years, his 2016 and 2017 stats offered hope that he still has something left in the tank even at 37 years old.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Right now, any team in the Majors can at least attempt to secure the veteran's services, but there is one ballclub in particular that could really benefit from inking him to a new deal, and that just so happens to be the one he spent the last nine seasons of his career with.
While it is indeed true that the Yankees now have starting pitching depth and could probably get by even without re-signing Sabathia, it still makes plenty of sense for the team to bring him back.
One reason for why re-signing Sabathia could be a good move for the Yankees is because he can be a stabilizing force in the clubhouse. With the team having more young players on the Major League roster, having someone like Sabathia around can be good for balancing things out. Sabathia knows all about life in the Majors and he can share what he knows with players still trying to get a handle on things.
Sabathia, being a known quantity will also make it easier for the team to trust him with starts as they ease more young pitchers into the Majors.
Furthermore, Sabathia may be someone the team can sign for an affordable price, as opposed to the other starters on the free agent market who may demand larger deals.
Notably, it seems like the Yankees are also aware of the benefits of re-signing Sabathia, with FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman recently reporting that the team has "reached out" to the veteran lefty.
For nine years, the Yankees and Sabathia have been linked to one another, and it could work out well for both parties if that partnership enters a 10th year in 2018.
