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Yankees' Sabathia to return to MLB after heart procedure

New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, shown against Boston in an October playoff game, underwent a heart procedure earlier this month but the 38-year-old American will be able to retun to the Major League Baseball club next season

CC Sabathia, a starting pitcher who helped the New York Yankees to their last World Series crown in 2009, will return next season after a successful heart operation earlier this month. The 38-year-old US left-hander had a stent inserted in a procedure to unblock an artery on December 11 and is expected to make a full recovery, Sabathia's agent Kyle Thousand told The Athletic website. "We are thankful that CC was smart enough to convey his symptoms to our medical staff and in turn they immediately engaged New York Presbyterian Hospital, who quickly determined the root cause of what ailed him," Yankees vice president and general manager Brian Cashman said in a statement released Friday on Twitter. "We are also encouraged that the procedure CC underwent was performed as planned. He is such a dynamic person beyond his excellence on the field and we will proceed with his health at the forefront of our priorities." Sabathia experienced chest pain as he prepared to travel to London to promote next year's baseball games there between the Yankees and arch-rival Boston Red Sox. After checking with doctors, he underwent an angioplasty and upon checking back with doctors on Friday learned he would be able to report to the Yankees as planned in February for workouts ahead of the 2019 campaign. "We will continue to follow the guidance and expertise of the doctors, who have conveyed that CC will report as scheduled to Tampa in February to prepare for the 2019 season," Cashman said. Sabathia signed a one-year contract worth $8 million last month to pitch for the Yankees next year. It will be Sabathia's 19th major league season. Last season, Sabathia went 9-7 over 29 starts with a 3.65 earned-run average, his lowest since 2012, and 140 strikeouts in 153 innings. New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, shown against Boston in an October playoff game, underwent a heart procedure earlier this month but the 38-year-old American will be able to retun to the Major League Baseball club next season