Yankees legend gives thoughts on team running back last season's squad, Aaron Judge's clutch factor

Don't tell the New York Yankees this, but the New York Yankees are running it back.

The Yankees' first lineup of the season on Wednesday will bear a striking resemblance to the one that saw the Yankees get eliminated in the American League Division Series last October, and only two players from outside the organization were added to the 26-man roster this offseason: Randall Grichuk and Ryan Weathers.

But despite the massive failure, one Yankee legend is all good with the Yankees' philosophy.

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"I think it's fine. I think having a chance to get Gerrit Cole back (from Tommy John surgery), have Carlos Rodon healthy for a season, getting Clarke Schmidt back (from TJ) would be huge," CC Sabathia told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I think with the amount of pitching that they have, I think that's what they're counting on, that their pitching is going to be good, and if the lineup can do just about what they did last year, I think they'll be in a good spot.

"A bunch of the better teams are in the National League. They have a chance to kind of stay healthy, and if they can pitch, they have a chance to get back to the World Series."

Sabathia will see the first Yankees lineup up close and personal as he will be in the Oracle Park booth as a color commentator on Netflix when the Yanks visit the San Francisco Giants. For the left-handed Hall of Famer who grew up going to Giants games, it's a full-circle moment.

"Having a chance to go back home for a Giants opening day, which is something that I did with my family a lot, my dad and my uncle," Sabathia said. "We would, on a Monday, I remember numerous times cutting school and going to Giants opening day at Candlestick Park. So to be able to now come full circle and be calling the game on opening day for my former team at home is really cool."

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"I thought I would never be around the game once I retired, but it's just something that, you know, I've done it my whole life," Sabathia added. "Got drafted at 17 years old. I've never had any other jobs. So, to be a part of the league office, work with the Yankees, be able to do all the things that I'm able to do, it's a blessing, and I don't take it for granted. Just super excited to have a chance to still impact the game in retirement."

If the Yankees want to find October success, Aaron Judge will have to be Aaron Judge. The Yankees captain became notorious for his postseason struggles until he hit .500 with a 1.273 OPS last season. But after an 0-for-4 showing with three strikeouts in the World Baseball Classic final, the noise is back.

Sabathia, though, is dismissing most of it.

"I think he's in the same spot Alex [Rodriguez] was in when I got here. To me, he's already proven himself in October, but people say he hasn't. But until he goes out and has the Aaron Judge-type month in October, people are going to say he's not clutch. That year that we won in '09, A-Rod hit some huge homers. He had a huge October, and people got off his back. So I think that's what it's going to take," Sabathia said.

The Yankees won 94 games last year, tied for the most in the American League. However, a tiebreaker gave the Toronto Blue Jays the division, and they knocked out the Yanks en route to just narrowly losing the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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