CC Sabathia didn’t need his left shoulder to collapse on the mound late in Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday against the Astros at Yankee Stadium for people to show their feelings for the big lefty.

The general feeling throughout baseball on Friday was that if you don’t like Sabathia, you must not enjoy ice cream.

After the 2018 season, Sabathia announced this would be the final year of a career that will someday land him in the Hall of Fame. A balky right knee gave him problems all season and then his left shoulder barked in September and led to him being kept off the ALDS roster against the Twins.

He made enough progress to be part of the ALCS staff and made his second relief outing against the Astros in the eighth inning of Game 4. Sabathia faced four batters, and after throwing a ball on a 1-1 pitch to George Springer, was removed from the game with a left shoulder injury the Yankees called a subluxation, though Sabathia said he wouldn’t know until he underwent an MRI exam.

As Sabathia was escorted off the mound by trainer Steve Donohue, he was making his final walk in a big league uniform with his left arm, which produced 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts in 19 seasons, limp and pinned to his side.

“I threw until I couldn’t anymore,” Sabathia said Friday, when he was removed from the ALCS roster, preventing him from pitching in a potential World Series appearance, and was replaced by Ben Heller.

Tributes to the 39-year-old poured in from all baseball precincts Thursday evening and continued Friday.

“In a way it is kind of a perfect way [to leave]. We talk about him being the greatest teammate and this person we all revere so much,’’ manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees, trailing 3-1, attempted to extend their season with a win in Game 5 in The Bronx. “He left it all out there. He gave us everything he had. Even though it is sad to see him walking out but there is something kind of awesome to it in a weird way, too.’’

Sabathia felt so good recently that the injury might be a blessing. In July he told his wife, Amber, he might have wanted to attempt a comeback.

Keeping with that thinking, Sabathia said there was no sign of discomfort warming in the bullpen or against the first three hitters he faced.

“I had no pain. I’ve been feeling good the last week, 10 days, whatever. Arm has been feeling fresh, everything has been feeling good,’’ Sabathia said.

And then his shoulder started to ache.

“Just last pitch to [Aledmys] Diaz when he popped up, I just felt like when I released the ball, my shoulder kind of went with it. I told Stevie [Donohue] and those guys that I subluxed it before one time when I was really young, first year in the big league. That’s kind of what it felt like. But [Friday] it’s really sore. So I don’t know.’’

Sabathia threw three pitches to Springer and walked to the side of the mound. After talking to Donohue, Sabathia went back on the mound and threw one a warm-up toss that told him he was done.

“It felt terrible. I just was hoping Springer swung early. And once I realized this was going to be a long at-bat, I think Stevie came out and we kind of realized that I wasn’t going to be able to do it,’’ Sabathia said. “When I was throwing those pitches to Springer, I couldn’t even look up to see where I was throwing the ball. I was just letting it go and whatever happened, happened.’’

As Sabathia moved toward the dugout, what was left of the 49,067 in attendance stood and showered him applause and chants.

“I think that’s what got me more emotional than actual injury. Just hearing the fans and the way that they were cheering me and it was just … makes me feel good,’’ Sabathia said. “Makes me feel like I made the right choice 11 years ago. I love these fans. I love this organization.’’