Al Bello/Getty Images
The two most similar pitchers to C.C. Sabathia in major league history, according to Baseball Reference, are Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina, both Yankees stalwarts. Pettitte taught Sabathia the cutter late in his career. Mussina knew he needed it.
If not the cutter, Sabathia would surely need something else to extend his career. Mussina explained this over lunch in 2016 as he retraced his own career path.
“It’s not the first half of your career that gets you to a big number, it’s how do you do after that,” he said.