What's keeping CC Sabathia busier than ever in retirement — and why it won't be TV
CC Sabathia is loving life off the mound — and out of the spotlight.
The soon-to-be Hall of Famer caught up with The Post at Yankee Stadium, his former place of work, and talked about everything but the sport of baseball.
The former World Series champion pitcher, who walked off the field for good in 2019, now can be found mostly on the golf course — but don't expect to see him sitting in the analyst chair and on your television screen.
But there is the potential for another podcast after his popular 'R2C2' show with Yankees broadcaster Ryan Ruocco ended in 2023.
4 New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia fires his first pitch to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series on November 1, 2009.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
'I don't think I'm made out for TV or broadcasting,' Sabathia, 44, said during the interview on behalf of his partnership with Xyzal. 'I don't think so, no. Maybe I'll do podcasting… ten years from now. But no, I don't think I'll do YES network or be on TV every day, no.
'I don't want to do anything every single day and this is every single day. I'm not doing all of that. It's a long season and it's back on the road. I'm out on that.'
The legendary pitcher played 19 MLB seasons for Cleveland (2001-'08), Milwaukee (2008) and the Yankees (2009-'19).
A six-time All-Star and Cy Young winner, Sabathia won a World Series in his first season with the Yankees in 2009, winning the ALCS MVP along the way with two brilliant starts against the Angels.
He now works for the MLB as a special assistant to the Commissioner.
'I'm way more busy now than I was when I was playing, absolutely,' Sabathia said. 'I work for the Yankees, I work at the league, I do a bunch of different stuff, so I stay busy. I have four kids.
'… I'm playing golf all of the time,' he said, grading his game as being 'good' overall. 'I'm at an eight handicap right now, so I'm moving it around pretty good. It's been a lot of fun to tackle another sport in retirement.
4 CC Sabathia golfing at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in March 2024.
Instagram/CC Sabathia
'I mean, it gives you something to do as the weather starts to get nice and you get to go on trips and hang out with, different people that you may not have normally hung out with. Golf is circular in a way where it kind of revolves around your whole life. So it's pretty cool to be able to play different courses, go to different dinners, meet different people and do different deals out on the golf course. It's been cool.
'A lot of people that are CEOs and different companies play golf… I played golf with the founder of Draft Kings the other day… random people that you may not have come across. But golf brings you around different people.'
Sabathia and his wife, baseball agent Amber Sabathia, are parents to Carsten Charles III, 21, Jaden Arie, 19, Cyia, 16, and Carter, 14 — and they're a 'close-knit' family.
'My youngest is 14, so not that young,' he said. 'We're a couple years away from being empty nesters and enjoying that. But it keeps us busy having four and having two jobs and my wife's an agent, so I think I'm way more busy now than I was playing.'
4 CC Sabathia and his wife Amber Sabathia.
Instagram/CC Sabathia
Sabathia emphasized that family time means everything to him.
'I think that was the reason why I decided to retire. When I did, my oldest [child] was a sophomore in high school. I wanted to watch him play [baseball at the University of Houston] and having a chance to be around him a couple summers before he went to college was great. And getting the chance to watch my daughter's dance, and my young guy, I'm with him every single day,' he said.
4 CC Sabathia and his wife Amber with their four kids on Christmas Eve on December 24, 2024.
Instagram/CC Sabathia
'It was the perfect time to retire. I mean [the COVID-19 pandemic] was horrible, but having a chance to reconnect with my family [and] nobody was going to school. It was one of the best times of my life to be able to have that three or four months where it was just us and you know kind of hanging out and we acclimated… we're a close-knit group. The six of us, we can go anywhere and have fun.'
Some of that fun includes 'fishing and anything outdoors,' but much like his playing days, needs a little help, something he gets from Xyzal.
'It's a huge relief because my allergies are really bad,' said Sabathia, who previously received shots for his allergies during his playing career. 'Even as a kid… and it was bad. So having the chance to have that relief and go to the golf course, play catch, do the things that I love to do without worrying about sneezing or runny nose and all that stuff is great.
In June, Sabathia, who grew up in Vallejo, California, will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot as part of the 2025 class in Cooperstown.
He said he's looking forward to celebrating the honor with his family.
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