CC Sabathia expects to wear a brace on his right knee throughout the remainder of his career.

Once "hard-headed" about the idea, the New York Yankees left-hander had a run of success with the brace late last season.

"I'm definitely going to wear it off the mound," Sabathia said. "I'll probably do it sometime in the middle of January and see how it feels."

The 35-year-old is pitching with bone-on-bone arthritis in a knee that eventually will require replacement surgery.