There were already questions surrounding Aroldis Chapman and whether he would even make the Yankees’ postseason roster, but the reliever made that decision a little easier when he failed to show up for a team workout on Friday and gave what manager Aaron Boone called a “not acceptable excuse.” The team has opted to keep him off the playoff roster because of it and he was told to stay away from the team right now.
The decision by Chapman not to show came on a day he was scheduled to pitch a live batting practice. He was fined by the team, though Cashman didn’t specify an exact amount when he spoke with reporters ahead of the start of the American League Division Series.
Neither Boone nor Cashman would elaborate on what the excuse was that Chapman had given them. Chapman had gone from Texas to Miami following the Yankees’ final regular season game against the Texas Rangers, Cashman told reporters.
“(Pitching coach) Matt Blake had communicated with Arolids about his live BP on Friday,” Cashman said. “Listen there’s no legitimate reason why he wasn’t here. He’s employed, he’s due to provide work. The postseason roster hadn’t been set yet. We haven’t even had our meetings yet. … And he chose not to come.”
Chapman has dealt with injuries and mechanical issues this season that have led to a decline in his play and what led to him losing the closing job to Clay Holmes earlier in the year. But the latest issue adds another wrinkle to a disappointing season for the reliever.
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“I just felt like him not being here was not OK and I just felt like it was best for him to stay away from now,” Boone said during a press conference on Sunday.
The Yankees still had not made a decision on their roster for their upcoming ALCS matchup with the Cleveland Guardians, which begins on Tuesday. Chapman’s numbers had been a concern, especially after his final outing of the regular season. He finished the year with a 4.46 ERA and a FIP of 4.57.
Boone seemed to indicate that there may have been a spot for Chapman had he not taken himself out of the running.
“I think there was a chance he absolutely could have been (on the roster),” Boone said. “We’re still actually getting ready to start those conversations. He may have been, but it’s a moot point now.”
Boone and Cashman both left the door open to the possibility of Chapman rejoining the team if they advanced to the American League Championship Series, but both men were disappointed by the 34-year-old decision. Additionally, Chapman seemed to point to a larger issue when it came to Chapman and his dedication to the team.
The Yankees’ longtime GM said that he wasn’t surprised by Chapman’s actions considering the way the season had gone for him.
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“It was surprising at first, like a little shocking, but then after the shock wore off when you add everything up it’s not surprising,” Cashman said. “There’s some questions about whether he’s been all in or not for a little while. He’s maintained verbal that he’s in, but at times his actions don’t match those words. When he didn’t show on Friday obviously at first, yes, there was a lot of people upset and caught off guard. After that wore off the focus is on the guys we have here currently and that’s what we’re going to focus on.”
Cashman declined to go back and discuss the other instances that led to that feeling within the organization, but one of them appeared to be his decision to get a tattoo in the middle of the season, which later became infected and forced him to miss time on the field.
Chapman will be a free agent after this season and it was growing unlikely that he’d return to New York next season. His decision to skip the workout last week only adds to the likelihood of that.
