CC Sabathia opens up about alcohol rehab: ‘There was no other option’

In his first interview since entering an alcohol rehab facility on the eve of the Yankees’ Wild Card playoff game, CC Sabathia told Robin Roberts of Good Morning America that he first realized he was an alcoholic in 2012, and had been battling it without any help until last month.

The announcement came the day before the Yankees were set to take on the Houston Astros in the Wild Card round of the American League playoffs, a game that the Yankees would lose 3-0 and end the Bronx Bombers’ season. The left-hander went 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA this year but a knee injury hampered his output.

In his first interview since entering rehab, Sabathia said he finally just knew it was time for him to get the help he needed.

The full interview can be streamed on Good Morning America’s website here.

“I know it was a bad time of the season”, Sabathia said.

Sabathia said he never was drunk for one of his starts, and the routine of a starting pitcher allowed him to plan his binges.

The 40-year-old Hunter said at his farewell news conference at Target Field that he doesn’t want to “sit out too long” from the sport. “I think the biggest thing for me is not isolating myself and feeling like I need something to do”. He met with Yankees manager Joe Girardi, pitching coach Larry Rothschild, athletic trainer Steve Donohue and the team’s director of mental conditioning Chad Bohling where he explained his situation. “Hopefully I can carry that over to next season and help the team”.

“I was just exhausted of hiding”.

Not only did the 15-year veteran reveal the details of his battle with addiction, but he urged others who are suffering to seek help.

“Just getting back with my teammates, being back in Yankee Stadium, enjoying the fans and, you know, pitching,” Sabathia said. “That weekend I began drinking when I thought nobody was paying attention”, Sabathia said. I stayed in my room the whole weekend. Do stuff that I like to do and get back to my old self and not isolate.

‘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. He ended up staying the course, however, stating, per Feinsand: “Really at that time is when I felt like I needed it, but it was right in the middle of the season”.