CC Sabathia is using retirement to get into the best shape of his life. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Former Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia getting in shape during retirement

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 5/13/20

C.C. Sabathia, is that you? Seriously, the former New York Yankees pitcher nearly looks unrecognizable since retiring from baseball in 2019.

The 39-year-old, who is known for being on the beefier side, has slimmed down and bulked up since his Major League Baseball days.

Wait... what? This is photoshopped, right? pic.twitter.com/rth9LpAsfu
— Kyle Kondor ⚾️ (@KyleNYY) May 12, 2020

While many thought the photo might be Photoshopped, Sabathia's "R2C2" podcast cohost Ryan Ruocco confirmed that Sabathia has slimmed down since his baseball days.

“Not Photoshopped,” Ruocco tweeted. “The big fella has been getting after it during quarantine!”

Many retired baseball players put on weight after retiring, but Sabathia has done the complete opposite. It looks like he's in the best shape of his life, and it's pretty impressive.

The six-time All-Star suffered multiple injuries leading up to his retirement, including an ongoing knee issue he had been dealing with since 2016. Sabathia also suffered from alcoholism and heart issues during his time in the league.

New York probably is wishing Sabathia didn't retire, but that was out of their control. The 2009 World Series champion is a Cy Young winner and ALCS MVP. He went 251-161 in his 19-year career with a 3.74 ERA, 1.259 WHIP and 3,093 strikeouts.

More must-reads: