CC Sabathia Discusses Decision to Enter Rehab on ‘Good Morning America’

CC Sabathia knows he left the New York Yankees to enter rehab for alcoholism at the worst possible time; however, in his first interview since completing treatment, the former Cy Young Award winner said it’s what needed to be done.

“Like I said, I know it was a bad time of the season, but I woke up on that Sunday morning in Baltimore and there was no other option for me but to get help,” Sabathia told Robin Roberts in a Good Morning America interview that will air in full Friday (h/t Katie Kindelan of GMA, via Yahoo).

Sabathia, 35, checked into rehab Oct. 5, a day before the Yankees played the Houston Astros in their American League Wild Card matchup. He would have been part of the team’s expected rotation for the ALDS had the Yankees won. Many fans were critical of the timing of Sabathia’s decision, which drew a mixed reaction from the lefty.

“I understand where, you know, fans would be upset and people would not understand,” Sabathia said. “If it was my knee or if it was anything else, then people wouldn’t have a problem with it. You know, it being alcoholism, it was tough for people to swallow, but it’s the same thing.”

Signs of trouble were prevalent throughout a lost 2015 for Sabathia. He was involved in an altercation outside a Toronto nightclub in August after an argument with hecklers, and ESPN.com’s Wallace Matthews reported Sabathia was drinking inside the clubhouse the weekend before he checked into rehab.

“CC has demonstrated a great deal of courage in trying to tackle this problem,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, per Matthews. “Time and place have no bearing. There is something here that needs to be taken care of, and I applaud him.”

A six-time All-Star, Sabathia said the rehab stint will help him return his full focus to baseball in 2016.

“Just getting back with my teammates, being back in Yankee Stadium, enjoying the fans and, you know, pitching,” Sabathia told Roberts. “That’s what I love to do, competing. I’ll be back out there 100 percent, ready to go.”

Sabathia went 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 2015. Due up to $50 million over the next two seasons, Sabathia has not posted an ERA under 4.50 since 2012 and has won only 23 games over the last three years.

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CC Sabathia Discusses Decision to Enter Rehab on ‘Good Morning America’

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