The Cleveland Guardians and CC Sabathia will always be tied to one another.
The Hall of Famer began his career in Ohio, and while he didn’t get to win a World Series there, he should still be considered one of the best players in franchise history.
More than that, he still has plenty of love for the city, which is why he took to social media to send a special message:
“Feels good to be back Cleveland!!” Sabathia posted on X.
Feels good to be back Cleveland!! https://t.co/kCHpDADr8d
— CC Sabathia (@CC_Sabathia) August 13, 2025
The Guardians took Sabathia with the No. 20 pick back in 1998.
He was the youngest player in the major at just 20 years old by the time he made his debut three years later.
Over eight years, he dominated with a 106-71 record, a 3.83 ERA, and 1,265 strikeouts in more than 1,500 innings.
He was one of the last true workhorses in the game; someone who thrived on the mound and only got better as he went deeper into games.
Sabathia led the league in innings and took the team to the ALCS while winning the Cy Young award back in 2007.
Then, with the team struggling to stay afloat in contention, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers and later signed with the New York Yankees, where he would go on to win a World Series and compile over 3,000 career strikeouts.
You can’t talk about CC Sabathia without talking about the Guardians, and you can’t talk about the Guardians without talking about Sabathia.
And it’s nice to see that after all these years, the city continues to embrace him in the same way he continues to show some love.
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