Aroldis Chapman Doesn’t Want Any More Excuses from the Yankees

A month ago, Boston Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman issued an ultimatum to the New York Yankees, stating that they would have to apologize for the events that occurred at the end of his time as a closer in the Bronx if they wanted to bring him back to the city.

Of course, that was all it took for the story to go viral, just as his name was surfacing in trade rumors ahead of the trade deadline, with the Yankees looking to bolster their bullpen.

Speaking in St. Petersburg, Chapman told ESPN Deportes reporter Enrique Rojas that if the Reds ever traded him to New York, General Manager Brian Cashman would first have to make amends.

But a month later, it seems things have changed. Chapman has stated that he has dropped his demand for an apology from the Yankees, telling reporters at the All-Star Game yesterday (Tuesday) that he has let go of the grudge from four years ago.

“I moved on from that a long time ago. They asked me a question, and I answered.”

The events date back to Chapman's last dismal season with the Yankees, during which he posted a 4.46 ERA in 2022, lost his spot as the top reliever to Clay Holmes, and missed nearly a month due to a tattoo-related leg infection.

Then, before the American League Division Series in October, he missed a mandatory workout at Yankee Stadium, claiming he had permission to be in Miami. The Yankees, however, disagreed and subsequently excluded Chapman entirely from their postseason roster.

With the hatchet now seemingly buried, is a meeting between the two sides possible by August 3?

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