When it's all said and done, many of us hope that our lives will not be defined by only a title or achievement. Legacies are crafted by countless moments, including the small ones witnessed by a handful of people. But earning candidacy in the National Baseball Hall of Fame is undoubtedly a nice thing to have on one's tombstone. Come July 27, CC Sabathia will forever be immortalized in Cooperstown.

The longtime left-handed pitcher's name was checked off on 86.8 percent of ballots, comfortably earning a place among the game's greats. He surely anticipated the news, based on the early results, but the moment hits differently when it officially comes to pass. Sabathia rejoiced over his eventual induction, adding perspective to this illustrious honor. He also spotlighted the two men he will join in enshrinement this year.

“From now on it’s Hall of Famer Carsten Charles Sabathia,” the World Series champion and American League Cy Young winner posted on X following MLB's announcement. “Dream come true!!! Feeling so blessed… Congrats to Ichiro {Suzuki} and Billy {Wagner}!! So well deserved and honored to enter this fraternity with you. Legends of the game immortalized. HOF.”

CC Sabathia savors the moment after a long and successful career

CC Sabathia and his family reacts as he receives the Baseball Hall of Fame call at home in Alpine, NJ
Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fans can justifiably question the motives of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, as their voting patterns are quite perplexing when comparing Sabathia's resume to other starters like Curt Schilling and Kevin Brown, but the 6-foot-6 southpaw left a sizable imprint on the game, one that few other hurlers leave today.

As five and six-inning outings continue to be the norm in the modern era, it is important to note that Sabathia was a true workhorse. The six-time All-Star pushed his arm to the limit in 2008, pitching on short rest multiple times to help the Milwaukee Brewers end an interminable postseason dry spell in 2008.

He displayed that fierce competitive spirit again the next year, tossing 16 innings of two-run ball versus the Los Angeles Angels in the AL Championship Series. Those feats of excellence and durability best encapsulate Sabathia's elevating effect. He vaulted the Brewers into October for the first time since the Ronald Reagan Administration and helped the Yankees reclaim their MLB throne after a near-decade hiatus.

Those intangibles surely occupied space in voters' craniums while they made their Hall of Fame selections, but they might be harder for Cooperstown visitors to spot when gazing upon Sabathia's plaque generations from now. What they will plainly see, however, is 3,093 career strikeouts, 3,577.1 innings pitched and 251 wins.

Yes, the 3.74 lifetime ERA might sour some people, but this man's 19-year body of work will resonate with plenty of others. And besides, no amount of skepticism will change the fact that CC Sabathia is now eternally linked to America's Pastime.