New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia is checking himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center and will be unavailable for the duration of the postseason, he announced Monday.
Sabathia said he was leaving the playoff-bound Yankees to "treat my disease" and is looking forward to returning to the club for the 2016 season.
"I love baseball and I love my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last push toward the World Series," the pitcher said in a statement. "It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father, and player."
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Sabathia, a six-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner, has mostly struggled in his return from offseason knee surgery, pitching to a 4.73 ERA with 137 strikeouts over 167 1/3 innings. His disappointing campaign followed him off the field as well, when the 6-foot-7 pitcher was involved in a fight outside a Toronto nightclub earlier this season.
The 15-year veteran expressed regret that he would be unavailable to the Yankees this October, as the club prepares for the American League wild-card game Tuesday against the Houston Astros.
"Being an adult means being accountable. Being a baseball player means that others look up to you," he continued. "I want my kids - and others who may have become fans of mine over the years - to know that I am not too big of a man to ask for help. I want to hold my head up high, have a full heart and be the type of person again that I can be proud of. And that's exactly what I am going to do."
