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CC Sabathia says a near-fatal artery blockage in 2018 changed how he approaches diet and long-term health. He discussed monitoring LDL cholesterol and sharing his experience at Yankee Stadium during events around the retirement of his No. 52.
CC Sabathia says a severe artery blockage discovered in 2018 changed how he thinks about health after baseball, prompting him to pay closer attention to diet and cholesterol. The former Yankees pitcher discussed the experience at Yankee Stadium around the ceremony retiring his No. 52, using his story to encourage people to monitor heart health with a doctor.
Sabathia said he woke in the night in November 2018 vomiting and initially thought he might be having a heart attack. He later learned that an artery leading to his heart had a 90% blockage and underwent emergency angioplasty, a procedure involving placement of a stent. The episode occurred while he was still an active major-league pitcher.
“Had I not known or not been on top of everything, I could have passed away at 38 years old from a massive heart attack,” Sabathia said. He urged people to learn their LDL-C level, a measure of so-called bad cholesterol, and discuss it with a doctor. High LDL-C is a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the source report.
Sabathia said the biggest change he has made to address his LDL-C is his diet, which he described as now being mainly Mediterranean. “I feel good. I’ve lost a bunch of weight,” he said, adding that he has continued lifting and doing cardio but can now do so at his own pace. The report did not provide a current cholesterol reading or details of a prescribed treatment plan.
A Career Story Becomes Health Advocacy
Sabathia’s account brings attention to a health risk that may not be visible to a person who is active or performing at a high level. He said he was pitching when the blockage was discovered, and described the possibility that he could have collapsed on the mound. His experience is a personal account, not evidence that every athlete faces the same risk or needs the same care.
He has joined Playing with Heart, a program from Merck and WomenHeart involving nine MLB franchises, to raise awareness of cholesterol and heart health. The initiative gives his public comments a broader setting: clubs and players can use their visibility to encourage conversations about monitoring health. Sabathia said athletes should be as willing to discuss long-term wellness as they are performance and recovery.
That message also reaches beyond baseball. The report points to work in the NFL with recovery brands and a National Basketball Players Association preferred virtual-care provider as examples of leagues and player organizations expanding attention to health services. These developments do not establish what care individual players receive, but they show that athlete health has become a subject of public programs and organizational support.
From 2018 Emergency to No. 52
Sabathia spent 19 seasons in the major leagues, including 11 with the Yankees. His heart emergency came in November 2018, near the end of his playing career. The source report says he learned of the blockage after waking with symptoms he initially associated with a heart attack, then received emergency angioplasty and a stent.
Years later, the Yankees honored his career by retiring his No. 52 in a ceremony at Monument Park. Sabathia spoke at the stadium the day before that ceremony, connecting the milestone to a subject he considers more consequential than a number on a ballpark wall: knowing what is happening inside one’s body. Yankees manager Aaron Boone joined him. Boone has his own history of heart conditions dating to childhood and his playing years, according to the report.
Sabathia also discussed changes among younger athletes. He said today’s players seem more attuned to their bodies than those in his generation, recalling that his 23-year-old son, who is in rookie ball, pays close attention to his health. That is Sabathia’s observation; the report does not offer broader data comparing generations of players.
““I could have passed away at 38 years old from a massive heart attack.””
— CC Sabathia
The report does not state Sabathia’s current LDL-C reading, the date of his most recent test, or whether he takes medication for cholesterol. It also does not detail his ongoing medical follow-up. His comments describe changes he has made personally and should not be read as medical guidance for others.
The source provides no measured results tying his diet to a specific change in cholesterol or heart risk. It also does not say whether his account influenced the Playing with Heart program’s reach or whether the program has produced measurable health outcomes. The nine-franchise figure describes the program’s participation, not its impact.
More Outreach Through MLB Clubs
Sabathia’s work with Playing with Heart is the next stated avenue for sharing his experience. The program involves nine MLB franchises and focuses on awareness of LDL cholesterol and heart health. The source does not name future events, release dates, or a schedule for the initiative.
For readers, the immediate next step described by Sabathia is to ask a doctor about cholesterol and understand personal health measures. Whether the awareness program expands or reports results remains unknown. The Yankees’ No. 52 ceremony marks a career milestone, while Sabathia’s public comments turn attention to the health issue that nearly cut that career short.
Key Questions
What happened to CC Sabathia in 2018?
He said he woke up vomiting and later learned he had a 90% blockage in an artery leading to his heart. He underwent emergency angioplasty with a stent placement.
What health change did Sabathia describe?
He said his diet is now mainly Mediterranean and that he continues lifting and doing cardio at his own pace. He identified diet as the largest step he has taken to improve his LDL-C.
What is Playing with Heart?
It is a heart-health awareness program from Merck and WomenHeart involving nine MLB franchises, according to the source report.
Did Sabathia share his current cholesterol level?
No. The report gives no current LDL-C reading, medication details, or measured results from his dietary changes.
Source: rss
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