CC Sabathia felt he had “no other option.”

The Yankees left-hander, in an interview that will air this morning on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” said that when he got up Oct. 4 after a weekend of heavy drinking in Baltimore, he knew something had to give.

“I know it was a bad time of the season, but I woke up on that Sunday morning in Baltimore and there was no other option for me but to get help,” Sabathia told Robin Roberts in the interview, which also includes his wife, Amber.

The comments were the first by Sabathia, 35, since he announced Oct. 5 that he was entering a 30-day rehab program, which was at a facility in Connecticut.

The announcement came the day before the American League wild-card game, which the Yankees lost to the Astros, 3-0.

“It was just the time,” Sabathia said. “I understand where, you know, fans would be upset and people would not understand. If it was my knee or if it was anything else, then people wouldn’t have a problem with it. You know, it being alcoholism, it was tough for people to swallow, but it’s the same thing.”

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Sabathia struggled much of the season, going 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA, but was 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA in his last five starts. The Yankees were prepared to put him on the 25-man roster for the wild-card game and, if they had won, would have started him in the Division Series against the Royals, likely in Game 2 or 3.

AWARDS: Mets pitcher Matt Harvey won the NL Comeback Player of the Year award and Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder earned the AL honor.

Returning from Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss the 2014 season, Harvey was 13-8 with a 2.71 ERA, helping New York reach the World Series for the first time since 2000.

Fielder hit .305 with 23 homers and 98 RBI for Texas, which won the AL West for the first time since 2011. He played in 42 games in 2014, when his season ended in mid-May because of a herniated neck disk that needed surgery.

TRADE: The Mariners and Rays completed the first significant trade of the offseason, a six-player swap that sent infielder Brad Miller, first baseman Logan Morrison and pitcher Danny Farquhar to Tampa Bay for pitchers Nathan Karns and C.J. Riefenhauser, and minor league outfielder Boog Powell.

ROYALS: The World Series champions exercised their $8 million option on All-Star closer Wade Davis and a $5.25 million option on All-Star shortstop Alcides Escobar, while declining a $3 million option on outfielder Jonny Gomes.

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TWINS: Torii Hunter declared an end to his playing career of 17-plus seasons, including more than a decade with Minnesota.

The 40-year-old Hunter said at his farewell news conference at Target Field that he doesn’t want to “sit out too long” from the sport. This fall, he’ll enjoy some down time with his family, but he said he’s already fielded offers from networks about serving as a television analyst.

METS: Outfielder Curtis Granderson had surgery on a ligament in his left thumb on Tuesday, the team announced.

Granderson was hurt while stealing a base in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series.

RANGERS: Texas hired former reliever Doug Brocail as their pitching coach and Anthony Iapoce as hitting coach.


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