CC Sabathia’s jersey retirement turned into a referendum on Yankees general manager Brian Cashman Friday. In his 11-season career with the New York Yankees, Sabathia has witnessed a few jersey-retirement ceremonies, but on Friday, it was he who joined 23 other Yankees legends as the team retired his jersey no. 52 during a ceremony before a doubleheader opener against Baltimore.
However, just as Cashman entered Yankee Stadium to present Sabathia, he was welcomed with a barrage of boos from the stands. Cashman seemed to laugh it off and hugged Sabathia anyway, but the booing didn’t go unnoticed.
“Yankees fans booed Brian Cashman when he presented CC Sabathia with a ring,” New York Post Sports shared on X with a clip of the incident.
The ceremony on Friday was perfectly choreographed. A video message played, with messages from Jeter, Paul O’Neill, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams, followed by Sabathia unveiling the plaque with his family and close friends. The stands cheered their best, as the Hall of Fame left-hander was honored with a plaque in Monument Park.
“I never envisioned myself going into Monument Park, and I think that was the reason why I was so scared to come here is that you don’t ever think you’re going to win the Yankee fans over or the city over,” Sabathia said. “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.”
For Sabathia, No. 52 jersey carried an added significance.
“It means a lot to me because it was just the first number that was in my locker. I got to Spring Training 2000, and I’m thinking I’m going to get No. 87, 78, whatever. I get in my locker, and I’ve got 52. I’m like, ‘Oh, sh–. I might make the team,'” Sabathia responded.
The ceremony hummed along smoothly until Cashman took the field. The Yankees GM entered the field to present a blue blazer, a framed version of Sabathia’s plaque and retired number, along with a ring commemorating his career. However, the ballpark’s environment changed. Loud boos followed.
The booing seemed to reflect years of frustration: Cashman’s roster moves, payroll decisions, and the team’s title drought since 2009. Back in 2022, during Paul O’Neill’s No. 21 retirement ceremony, fans booed Cashman amid the team’s severe second-half slump (losing 14 of 18 games). Fans also booed when O’Neill mentioned Cashman’s name during his speech.
But apart from that brief incident on Friday, the ceremony was “incredible,” as Sabathia described it.
“That ceremony was incredible, surreal,” Sabathia added. “I was saying out there I have so many famous teammates, whether it’s Mo, Derek, Andy. So I’ve been at the ceremony a bunch of times, but to have that ceremony be for me is special, and to have my family out there was cool.”
Despite Cashman getting booed, he can take the credit for signing Sabathia before the 2009 season. Cashman had then offered the largest deal for a free-agent pitcher: a $161 million, seven-year contract. And the rest is history.
Sabathia recorded 19-8 with a 3.37 ERA in his first season for the Yankees. Ironically, the 2009 World Series was the last time the Yankees would get a ring. In his 11 seasons with the Yankees, Sabathia recorded 134-88 with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts. He was also a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2025, receiving 86.8% of the vote.
Irrespective of fans’ disgruntlement toward Cashman, Sabathia got the honor he deserved.