Chapman had his next scheduled Cactus League appearance pushed from Wednesday to Thursday due to wet conditions, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Rainstorms blew threw Arizona on Wednesday afternoon and the Royals didn't want to risk an on-field mishap with their new high-leverage reliever. Chapman, signed to a one-year, $3.75 million contract in January, has recorded eight strikeouts through four innings this spring.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Will make Cactus appearance Tuesday
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Chapman (mouth) is slated to make his Cactus League debut Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Chapman had been slated for a bullpen session Tuesday after suffering a split lip and a cracked tooth in a fall at home, but it appears he'll be thrown into game action instead. The veteran reliever inked a one-year deal with the Royals last month and is expected to be in the mix for saves along with Scott Barlow.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Injures mouth in home accident
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Chapman required stitches on a split lip and suffered a cracked tooth after he slipped and fell at his house Saturday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Chapman doesn't appear to be in any danger of missing extended time after the home accident, as he's expected to throw a bullpen session Tuesday before getting into a Cactus League game soon thereafter. The reliever joined the Royals on a one-year deal last month after spending the last six and a half seasons with the Yankees. The left-hander will look to recapture some of his former glory in 2023 after struggling to a career-worst 4.46 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 36.1 innings in 43 appearances with New York in 2022. Chapman is guaranteed $3.75 million on his deal, but the contract could escalate to a total value of $8.75 million based on performance bonuses for appearances and games finished. The Royals haven't formally clarified their plans for Chapman, but he could challenge Scott Barlow for the closer's role.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Set to sign with Royals
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Chapman agreed to a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Royals on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
He'll have an opportunity to earn more in incentives. Chapman is coming off a disappointing season which saw him put up a 4.46 ERA with just nine saves for the Yankees, but it's possible he'll get another chance to close for the Royals. Scott Barlow should remain Kansas City's closer to open 2023 after he posted a 2.18 ERA last season, but Chapman could push for the job with a strong start to the campaign.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Won't make ALDS roster
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Chapman will not be included on the ALDS roster after failing to show up for a team workout, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.
Chapman had turned in scoreless appearances in six of his last seven outings of the regular season, but the team will come down hard on the reliever after he didn't show up to a scheduled team workout. With Chapman out of the bullpen mix, the Yankees will need to rely on Jonathan Loaisiga, Clarke Schmidt and Lucas Luetge in high-leverage spots during the ALDS. Manager Aaron Boone has not ruled Chapman out for the entire postseason at this point, per Meredith Marakovits of YES Network.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Control struggles continue
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Chapman (3-4) took the loss against Baltimore on Sunday, allowing two runs on one hit and three walks in one-third of an inning. The only out he recorded was by strikeout.
Chapman entered with the score tied 1-1 in the seventh inning and allowed a leadoff single. He then issued two walks to load the bases before striking out Ryan Mountcastle. The veteran reliever couldn't follow up on that successful out, however, as he next walked Gunnar Henderson to allow the go-ahead run to cross the plate. Altogether, Chapman tossed just 12 of 26 pitches for strikes, and this was the fourth time in his past eight outings that he's walked multiple batters. He's posted an awful 7.1 BB/9 over 35.1 innings on the season, and Bryan Hoch of MLB.com suggests that Chapman is in danger of missing out on the Yankees' postseason roster.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Earns win in relief
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Chapman (3-3) earned the win with a scoreless inning Tuesday against the Pirates. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.
In his second appearance since being reinstated from the injured list, Chapman pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn his third win of the season. The outing likely was intended to just get the veteran some work, but the Yankees pulled off a remarkable comeback capped off by a walkoff grand slam by Giancarlo Stanton to secure Chapman's win. With Clay Holmes looking shakier of late, Chapman may well find himself back in the closer role if he strings together a couple more scoreless outings.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Works scoreless inning in return
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Chapman pitched a scoreless inning against the Brewers on Saturday, allowing one walk and striking out one batter.
Chapman missed nearly a month due to a leg infection, but he was reinstated Friday and made his return to the mound Saturday. The veteran reliever was used in a low-leverage situation in the seventh inning, so it appears that the Yankees will ease him back before potentially giving him high-leverage work (though likely not as a closer, since Clay Holmes has taken hold of that role). Though Chapman didn't allow any runs in his return, he threw only nine of 17 pitches for strikes and walked a batter. Control has been been a major issue for Chapman this season -- his 6.5 K/9 is on pace to be his worst mark since 2011 and is fifth-worst among MLB pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Reinstated Friday
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Chapman (leg) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list prior to Friday's game against the Brewers.
Clay Holmes has a 2.89 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 10:1 K:BB in 9.1 innings since regaining the closer's role in late August. Chapman, who struck out five and walked two in two scoreless rehab innings, may get some save chances, but they could be few and far between.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Set to return Friday
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Chapman (leg) will join the Yankees in Milwaukee on Friday and will be activated for the series opener against the Brewers, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
The veteran left-hander appeared in two minor-league games during his rehab assignment earlier this week and is poised to rejoin the big club Friday after being sidelined more than three weeks by a leg infection. Clay Holmes is back in the closer role since he returned from the injured list in late August, and Chapman could fill a setup role upon his activation.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Begins rehab stint
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Chapman (leg) struck out three batters and walked one in a scoreless inning for Double-A Somerset on Sunday.
Chapman made his first rehab appearance since landing on the injured list with a leg infection at the end of August. The veteran reliever entered in the fourth inning and struck out the side while issuing one walk, and he threw 10 of 16 pitches for strikes. Chapman could return to the Yankees by the end of this week, but he's unlikely to usurp Clay Holmes for the closer role.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Rehab assignment on tap
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Chapman (leg) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Somerset on Sunday, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports.
Chapman threw a bullpen session Friday and will return to game action in the minors to close out the weekend. The southpaw expects to need at least one more rehab appearance prior to rejoining the Yankees, so it's possible that he'll remain on the injured list until late next week.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Bullpen session Friday
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Chapman (leg) is set to throw a bullpen session Friday, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports.
Chapman has been out of action since Aug. 27 when his leg became infected after getting a tattoo. He's yet to face any major setbacks in his rehab process and could very well come off the injured list within a few days.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Appears ready for mound work
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Chapman (leg) is due to resume throwing off a mound this week, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports.
Chapman was placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 27 after he developed an infection in his leg, which stemmed from a tattoo he added to his body a few days prior. The left-handed fireballer was cleared to resume throwing over the weekend and appears to have thus far experienced no setbacks, so he'll take another step forward within a couple days by getting back on the mound. Chapman looks like he has a chance at returning from the IL in the minimum amount of time, but he may have to settle for a setup role out of the bullpen with Clay Holmes having recently returned from the IL to possibly take over as the Yankees' primary closing option.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Resumes throwing
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Chapman (leg) threw Friday for the first time since landing on the injured list, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports.
Chapman landed on the injured Saturday due to a leg infection, an issue which developed after he got a new tattoo. He expects to advance to a bullpen session within a day or two. He could potentially add to his nine saves once healthy, but that would require a return to his previous form in addition to a return to full health. It might also require a collapse from Clay Holmes, who returned from a back injury Monday.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Hits injured list with infection
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Chapman was placed on the injured list Saturday with an infection in his leg, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
The issue reportedly stemmed from a tattoo Chapman received. Chapman hasn't pitched in over a week and allowed three runs while walking four batters in his last two appearances, though it's unclear exactly when the problem started bothering him. The back of the Yankees' bullpen is quite beat up at the moment, with Clay Holmes (back) and Scott Effross (shoulder) also out, though Holmes should return Monday and now seemingly has a clearer path to reclaiming closer duties. Lou Trivino or Jonathan Loaisiga could be candidates to record a save over the weekend.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Wild again Friday
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Chapman allowed a run on one hit and two walks over one-third of an inning against Toronto on Friday.
Chapman entered in the ninth inning with New York down by three runs, so his struggles didn't do much to impact the outcome of the game. Nonetheless, it's discouraging that the veteran fireballer was unable to find the strike zone -- he threw just five of 14 pitches over the plate and walked the final two batters he faced to load the bases. Chapman was presumed to be in line to regain his closing role when Clay Holmes (back) moved to the injured list Aug. 16, but since that time Chapman has walked four batters and given up three runs over one inning across two appearances. He hasn't been used in a save situation, but it wouldn't be surprising if Scott Effross is called upon the next time a closer is needed given Chapman's ugly past two outings.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Likely to work in closer committee
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Chapman and Scott Effross will serve as the team's primary closing options while Clay Holmes (back) is on the 15-day injured list, Randy Miller of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Though the left-handed Chapman has the overwhelming edge over right-handed Effross in terms of closing experience, Boone suggested that a two-pronged approach to the late-inning situations may be the Yankees' best option in the short term. Even so, Chapman still looks like the preferred waiver-wire pickup of the two relievers, especially now that he's seemingly regained top form after a few rocky outings upon his return from an Achilles injury in early July. Though he hasn't picked up any save chances since being activated, Chapman enters Wednesday's game against the Rays having turned in nine straight scoreless appearances while striking out 10 and putting only five runners on base across 9.1 innings.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Could recapture closer's role
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Chapman appears to be the top candidate to step in as the Yankees' primary closer after manager Aaron Boone suggested following Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Rays that Clay Holmes (back) will likely go on the injured list, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Though Chapman hasn't received any save opportunities since returning July 1 from an IL stint of his own due to Achilles tendinitis, he's started to resemble the dominant end gamer he's been throughout most of his career, especially in his more recent appearances. Dating back to July 26, Chapman has turned in nine straight scoreless outings while delivering an 0.43 WHIP and 10:1 K:BB in 9.1 innings over that stretch. Despite not having held the closer's role since landing on the IL in late May, Chapman is likely still rostered in the majority of fantasy leagues, but Holmes' impending absence means that the 34-year-old lefty should be scooped up immediately if he happens to be sitting on the waiver wire anywhere.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Possible waiver wire pickups
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It sounds like the Yankees are preparing to move Chapman back to the role that might one day land him in the Hall of Fame. He's pitched like a closer recently, making nine straight scoreless appearances while striking out 10, and Clay Holmes certainly has not, blowing three saves in his past five appearances. Manager Aaron Boone has been noncommittal, only saying that he would "mix and match," and he did turn to Scott Effross in the ninth Saturday, having Chapman record the previous four outs. Given Chapman's long history in the closer role, though, it seems only a matter of time before he settles into it now that he's back to form and his replacement is back down to earth.
