In his debut season with the Yankees, CC Sabathia led the team to clinch their latest World Series title and consistently ranked in the top four for the AL Cy Young Award over three consecutive years following his move to The Bronx.

However, the left-hander revealed on Friday that his true “welcome to the Yankees” experience occurred against the Red Sox in early August of that year. Sabathia delivered an impressive performance with 7 ²/₃ scoreless innings, securing a win at Yankee Stadium on August 8.

It began an 11-start stretch for Sabathia in which the Yankees won 10 times and he pitched to a 2.16 ERA. 

“That’s when I truly became a Yankee,” Sabathia shared during a Zoom call on Friday, ahead of his Baseball Hall of Fame induction scheduled for July 27 in Cooperstown. “The most memorable aspect of the [Yankees-Red Sox] rivalry for me was having a standout game and pitching effectively.”