New York - AFP
Pitching ace CC Sabathia will stay with the New York Yankees, agreeing to a new deal that bumps up his current contract by $30 million. The 31-year-old left-handed hurler had until midnight to opt out of his current agreement if he wanted to test the free agent market. He had $92 million remaining over the next four years, but his new deal with the Yankees will pay $122 million over the next five. \"My goal the whole time was to be able to finish my career as a Yankee,\" Sabathia said in a video posted on Twitter. \"I look forward to seeing everybody out at the ballpark next year.\" Sabathia, who inked a $161 million, seven-year deal with the Yankees before the 2009 season, has gone 59-23 with a 3.18 ERA during the regular season for New York. \"CC is the ace of our pitching staff, a leader in our clubhouse and a driving force for the Yankees in our community,\" Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. \"He is exactly the type player and person that Yankees fans and this organization can be proud of. We are excited that he will be wearing the pinstripes for many years to come.\"