New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it clear Friday that the organization does not owe Aroldis Chapman an apology for how the reliever’s tenure in the Bronx ended in 2022.
The comments came one day after Chapman, now closing for the Boston Red Sox, reiterated his belief that general manager Brian Cashman should apologize if a reunion were ever to occur.
Chapman was left off the Yankees’ ALDS roster against Cleveland after missing a mandatory workout. He had dealt with an infected tattoo earlier that season, lost the closer role, and posted a 4.46 ERA. Boone stood by the decision, noting Chapman had apologized at the time.
“At the end of the day, he wasn’t at the workout,” Boone said, via the New York Post. “I made the decision, based on a lot of things and thought, to leave him off because I thought that was the right thing to do at the time. Chappy apologized, and really, it’s water under the bridge for me.
“I love Chappy. I have a really good relationship with him to this day. But the ending of the ’22 season was what it was. He wasn’t there, and I made the decision that I didn’t think it was best for him to come back at that point. He maintained that he was throwing and would be ready as the playoffs unfolded that year. But ultimately, I made that decision.”
Asked directly if Chapman deserved an apology from Cashman, Boone responded bluntly: “No.”
Cashman had previously questioned whether Chapman was fully committed that season.
Chapman, who has thrived with a 0.46 ERA and 13 saves for Boston this year, remains a potential trade candidate, but any return to New York appears highly unlikely given the history.
