Rangers Likely To Pursue Sabathia If He Opts Out of Yankees Deal

Rangers Likely To Pursue Sabathia If He Opts Out of Yankees Deal
John Nestor

Bronx, NY

CC Sabathia seems to be in an enviable position.

The New York Yankees ace can opt out of his current deal with New York and if he does, expect the Texas Rangers to bid on his services.

Texas is planning to make a strong push to sign him, according to a report on ESPNNewYork.com.

"I hear they're going to throw a boatload of money at him," an anonymous source told the website. "But I think he'll stay with the Yankees. He's talked so much about how much he loves New York, and besides, the Yankees can't afford to lose him from that pitching staff."

Sabathia, who won 19 games this season, is eligible to opt out of his seven-year, $161 million deal three days after the end of the World Series, which the Rangers could be playing in.

The Rangers are looking at the prospect of losing starter C.J. Wilson to free agency over the winter and in Sabathia, Rangers principal owner, president and CEO Nolan Ryan sees a player who fits his ideal of what a pitcher should be.

Ryan has said in the past he does not believe in holding his pitchers to pitch counts and is known to favor workhorse pitchers. Sabathia certainly fits that mold after logging 237 1/3 innings this season and ranking among the league leaders in innings pitched year after year.