The career of MLB great Derek Jeter was a testament to his hard work and dedication. Throughout his lengthy and storied career on the diamond, Derek made and broke countless records. Jeter’s Hall of Fame-worthy career, however, would not have been possible if it wasn’t for some critical people in his life. Aside from his family, Jeter had a few friends who stood by him through every or many hurdles in his life. 

Notably, one of those people would be 5x World Champ’s former teammate and good friend, CC Sabathia. When the time eventually came for Jeter to bid farewell to the game he loved dearly, Sabathia displayed the admiration he had for Derek Jeter’s legendary career. 

CC Sabathia risked his life for Derek Jeter!

For those unversed, when it was time for Jeter’s last game, stars had aligned to give him a walk-off win for one last time. Even before the runner had scored, however, Sabathia had already come out of the dugout. He did so to celebrate the iconic moment of Jeter’s 20-year legacy. 

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Although Sabathia coming onto the field to celebrate Jeter would not be considered particularly grand, it was monumental back then. The reason behind it was, not long before Jeter played his last ball game, Sabathia had undergone knee surgery and he hadn’t completely recovered before Jeter’s final game. However, he did not care for his knee and celebrated Derek’s career as one of his biggest fans.

Notably, CC Sabathia played a long enough role in Jeter’s life to leave a lasting impact on him. Playing for the New York Yankees as a shortstop was a dream come true for the teenage Derek Jeter.

Jeter was grateful for his career!

Fast forward to two decades later, Jeter, who always remained grateful for everything in his life, thanked god for letting him live his dream. 

In the same book, after talking about Sabathia’s early and rightful celebration, Derek wrote about what he did after his last game. After the Yanks won, Jeter went to short, knelt down, and said, “Thank you, God. Thank you for twenty years of me being able to live my dreams.”

The MLB legend Derek Jeter’s career might have concluded in 2014. But the legacy left by him still hasn’t left and probably never will. 

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