"Eight weeks later, I had a 90% blockage of my main heart artery," the former Yankees pitcher, 46, recalls.
For weeks, Sabathia did not realize his symptoms could be related to his heart. He said he frequently vomited and went to the hospital believing something was wrong with his stomach. Doctors eventually discovered the serious blockage.
In December 2018, Sabathia underwent emergency angioplasty to treat the blocked artery.
"I was pitching for who knows how long with that blockage," he says. "If somebody would've seen me, they would've been like, 'Hey, he's pitching in the big leagues. How could he have heart failure going on?'"
The experience changed how Sabathia approaches his health. He now makes regular checkups a priority and encourages others to pay attention to warning signs and speak with their doctors.
Sabathia has partnered with Merck and Playing with Heart to share his experience and encourage people to learn more about their heart health. The initiative focuses on educating baseball fans about high LDL cholesterol and its potential connection to heart attack and stroke.
Since his health scare, Sabathia says he has also changed his lifestyle. He follows more of a Mediterranean-style diet, continues to exercise and gets more sleep now that he is retired. He credits having a more consistent routine and less stress with helping him maintain a healthy weight and support his heart health.
On Sept. 25, the New York Yankees honored Sabathia by retiring his No. 52 and adding him to Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. The honor left the World Series champion feeling "super humbled."
Sabathia spent 11 seasons with the Yankees, winning a World Series championship and becoming one of the most respected pitchers in franchise history. He said seeing his name alongside legends such as Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio made the recognition especially meaningful.
He also reflected on a memorable moment from his career in 2012, when he pitched through painful bone spurs in his elbow. Despite the injury, he started Games 1 and 5 of the American League Division Series.
Sabathia considers those performances among t
