Aroldis Chapman, the Yankees’ left-handed reliever, is out of the team’s ALDS roster. He was fined and ejected from the possible team lineup after failing to show up for a required workout on Sunday.
Lindsey Adler of The Athletic was the first to unveil the news. Aroldis Chapman’s manager, Aaron Boone, informed reporters that the pitcher had failed to furnish an “acceptable excuse” to justify his absence. This is likely to spell the end of the seven-time All-Star’s tenure with the New York Yankees.
Aroldis Chapman, who hasn’t recorded a save since May 17, chose to return to his Miami-area home and stayed there on Friday, when he was scheduled to throw a live batting practice session against his teammates in Yankee Stadium. Chapman did not have a reason that could be accepted for missing the workout, according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone. After speaking with Chapman, manager Aaron Boone informed general manager Brian Cashman that the pitcher had been told to stay away from the club.
Scott Shapiro, Aroldis Chapman’s agent, said he and his client had no comment. The team brass hasn’t indicated that they have closed the option of playing Chapman after the ALDS series. However, it looks like a foregone conclusion that the relievers’ days with the Yankees are over and he may not return to the playoff roster.
A bad season for Aroldis Chapman
Just a week and a half ago, the Yankees were reportedly considering cutting Aroldis Chapman, but a slew of new and lingering bullpen injuries came to his rescue and the team brass was forced to rethink him for the ALDS roster. The Yankees are currently missing Ron Marinaccio, Wandy Peralta, Zack Britton, and Clay Holmes. This has limited New York’s bullpen choices ahead of the ALDS series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Although Aroldis Chapman will never be his old dominant self again, he remains healthy and has had a few successful outings recently. But overall, it was a nightmare season for Chapman, a former elite closer who earned $16 million this year and is eligible for free agency.
During the regular season, Aroldis Chapman appeared in 43 games. In those games, he had a 4.46 ERA (88 ERA+) and a 1.54 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Each of those marks was a career-low offering. Despite being the Yankees’ closer at the start of the season, he has not recorded a save since May 17.
Aroldis Chapman was out of action for nearly a month late in the season due to an infection from a leg tattoo. In seven subsequent appearances after his return, he had a 3.18 ERA in 5 2/3 innings, albeit with an unappealing 1.54 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Chapman was not assured of the playoff roster
The Yankees got Aroldis Chapman as a distressed asset in a trade from Cincinnati prior to the 2016 season, but was traded to the Chicago Cubs that summer in exchange for Gleyber Torres. Before the incident, neither Boone nor Cashman would say whether Chapman had a chance to make it to the ALDS roster.
Aroldis Chapman appeared to have gained some momentum late in the season allowing runs in only one of his final seven appearances. During the playoffs, Chapman was considered for a middle-relief role, but he was not considered for an assured ALDS place in the team.
However, Holmes (shoulder), Wandy Peralta (back), and Ron Marinaccio (shin) are all recovering from injuries, so Aroldis Chapman could be considered in a later round.
The Guardians might be happy not to face Chapman. Cleveland’s batting lineup was not comfortable against left-handed pitchers throughout the season. As the Yankees’ lefty is out of the ALDS roster, they have a sigh of relief.
Now the Yankees’ playoff bullpen will rely heavily on Holmes, who is recovering from right shoulder inflammation and may be unavailable for Game 1 on Tuesday.
Brian Cashman, who has been with the Yankees since 1986, said he couldn’t recall a player missing a workout. Matt Harvey of the New York Mets missed a workout three days before his team’s Division Series opener in October 2015.
Do you think Aroldis Chapman will ever return to the Yankees’ lineup?
