The New York Yankees made it official this week, retiring pitcher CC Sabathia’s No. 52 in a ceremony at Yankee Stadium, and the tributes poured in from across the sports world almost immediately. Pro Football Hall of Famer and FOX NFL Sunday co-host Michael Strahan added his own congratulations on his Instagram story shortly after.
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“Congrats to my guy @cc_sabathia on your jersey retirement! 👏🏾⚾️”
Credits: Instagram/@michaelstrahan
Strahan’s connection with Sabathia goes back several years. In 2019, Strahan managed Team Strahan at Sabathia’s celebrity softball game at Yankee Stadium, which benefited the PitCCh In Foundation and the Yankees Foundation. He later joined Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco on the R2C2 podcast in 2020. Besides that, there is another reason why Strahan congratulated Sabathia.
According to an Instagram post from Good Morning America on September 24, Strahan’s co-host Lara Spencer revealed that the Giants legend has launched a new weekly podcast, “Hustle Like You’re Broke,” with his business partner and entrepreneur Constance Schwartz-Morini. The podcast debuted on September 23, with new episodes set to arrive every Wednesday.
Spencer explained that the name comes from Strahan’s long-standing business motto, “Hustle like you’re broke.” The first episode is already available across major podcast platforms. The announcement also featured a clip of Strahan speaking with six-time MLB All-Star CC Sabathia and his wife, Amber.
The couple will appear as guests on a later episode. That connection could also explain why Strahan took a moment to congratulate Sabathia on his special day.
On the other hand, the ceremony took place Friday before the Yankees’ doubleheader opener against the Baltimore Orioles, making Sabathia the 24th player or manager in Yankees history to have his number retired and the fifth member of the 2009 World Series-winning team to receive that honor, joining Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter, Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera, former Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, and former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada.
The ceremony opened with video messages from Yankees legend and Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter, former Yankees All-Star outfielder Paul O’Neill, former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, and former Yankees All-Star center fielder Bernie Williams. Sabathia then unveiled his Monument Park plaque alongside his wife, Amber, two of their children, his mother, Margie, and two close friends.
Sabathia reflected on just how far the moment felt from where his Yankees tenure began, admitting he never expected to end up honored alongside the franchise’s legends.
“I never envisioned myself going into Monument Park, and I think that was the reason why I was so scared to come here, because you don’t ever think you’re going to win the Yankee fans over or the city over. So to be able to be sitting here now, playing here 11 years, is an incredible feeling, and that’s why I’ve said the last couple of weeks, this feels bigger to me than the Hall of Fame because I know what was at stake when I came here.”
Sabathia’s Yankees legacy started in 2009, after he signed a seven-year, $161 million deal in December 2008, then the largest contract ever given to a free-agent pitcher. He went 19-8 with a 3.37 ERA that season and followed it with a 3-1 record in five postseason starts.
In the ALCS, Sabathia went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA and won ALCS MVP honors as the Yankees captured their 27th World Series title. Across 11 seasons in New York, he went 134-88 with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts, ranking fourth in franchise history in strikeouts, seventh in starts and 10th in wins.
Sabathia finished his 19-year career with Cleveland, Milwaukee and New York at 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts. That total ranks third among left-handed pitchers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025 with 86.8 percent of the vote, alongside Billy Wagner and former Yankees teammate Ichiro Suzuki.
Fans also reacted to the news with an outpouring of their own tributes across social media. One commenter kept it short and direct.
“CC !! Legend! 🔥🔥”
Another fan echoed the team’s own rallying cry from the ceremony.
“Greatest FA pickup in Yankees history! Goated! CC!”
One more fan tied the moment directly back to what Sabathia’s arrival actually meant for the franchise on the field.
“🔥🔥🔥🔥THANK YOU. I GOT TO SEE YANKEES WIN A RING.”
A third commenter focused on the permanence of the honor itself.
“Immortalized forever! 👏👏”
After the ceremony, Sabathia threw the ceremonial first pitch to his son Carsten, a minor league first baseman in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. It capped a day Sabathia described as a full-circle moment, nearly two decades after he first arrived in the Bronx.