CC Sabathia Cautions Aaron Judge on Rushing Back from Injury
CC Sabathia has some advice for Aaron Judge as he deals with a right calf strain ahead of the playoffs. He understands Judge’s desire to return quickly for his teammates, but he urges caution.
“I absolutely understand his mindset,” Sabathia said. “He wants to get back for the guys. You feel like you owe that to the guys. But I would want him to be careful.”
Sabathia knows firsthand the consequences of playing through injuries. He pitched while dealing with knee and shoulder issues, especially in the later stages of his career, and is now living with those effects.
“Even with as much praise as I get for pitching till my arm fell off, I still needed my knee replaced at 46 and my shoulder reconstructed,” he reflected. Sabathia is set to have his No. 52 retired and a plaque unveiled in Monument Park before Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader.
When asked if he would change any decisions he made about staying on the mound despite his injuries, Sabathia paused briefly and answered, “No.”
He mentioned thinking about such decisions more as time goes on. “But I had to think about it right now. There was no question at the time. You just do it. But now, I think about everything I’m going through physically, and I’m not even 50,” he added.
Sabathia recalled watching Derek Jeter play through a foot injury during the last month of the 2012 season and into the playoffs, which resonated with him.
Jeter suffered a fractured left ankle in Game 1 of the ALCS against Detroit that year, and Sabathia still remembers the impact of losing a key player in the playoffs. “Judge has been hurt all year, so you just keep going,” Sabathia noted. “I remember when Jeter broke his ankle, we were sad, but what were we gonna do, quit? You’ve got to keep going. You’ve got to play.”
He chuckled while noting that they got swept in that series, emphasizing the importance of showing up, especially when a team is missing its star player. “It’s hard not to have your best player, especially when he’s the best player in the game,” he said.
Regarding his own recognition, Sabathia said this honor may surpass his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame last year. He stated, “Not being a homegrown Yankee and to finish my career in Monument Park is incredible. I don’t want to downplay the Hall of Fame, because that’s the biggest accomplishment of my life, but I think this is bigger. Being able to come here as the highest-paid pitcher ever at the time and have them feel I lived up to that makes me feel good.”
