Yankees Hot Stove Breaking News: CC Sabathia Set to Return to the Yankees

Brian Cashman may or may not have a Staples "Easy" button, but if he does he could be playing around with it as it says, "That was easy."

CC Sabathia has decided to re-sign with the New York Yankees and not opt out of his current contract. After releasing a 22-second long video, the ace announced his intentions of retiring a New York Yankee and being out on the mound looking forward to winning World Series No. 28 in pinstripes. 

Watch Sabathia address fans and talk about his new contract.

The southpaw was facing a deadline tonight to possibly hit the free-agent market, but a few hours before teams like the Boston Red Sox or Chicago Cubs could start speaking to him, he decided to stay put. The Yankees improved upon the rest of his four-year contract and extend it to possibly six years. 

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the contract goes up from four years and making $92 million to $122 million over five years. There is an option for a sixth year that is contingent upon Sabathia's ability to avoid injury. He still holds a no-trade clause in his contract. 

With his new contract, Sabathia is once again the highest paid pitcher in Major League Baseball. He held the title when he signed with the New York Yankees originally in 2008, until Cliff Lee took it away when he signed with the Phillies. The total contract after six years has the potential to be $142 million over six years.

Cashman made starting pitching his No. 1 priority heading into the offseason and retaining Sabathia was at the top of the list. The offseason has started the way the New York Yankees had hoped. 

Follow Bleacher Report's Chris Chavez on Twitter: Twitter.com/MU_ChrisChavez.