Aroldis Chapman Unloads On His Time With the New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox Closer Aroldis Chapman dropped a verbal bomb on the “Swing Completo” podcast that’s still echoing through The Bronx. When asked if he’d ever consider returning to the Yankees, Chapman didn’t just say no. He went nuclear.
“No way, not even dead,” Chapman said in Spanish. “If I were told that I was being traded to New York, I’d pack my things and go home. I’ll retire right on the spot if that happens. I’m not crazy. Never again.”
What Went Wrong In the Bronx?
Chapman spent seven seasons with the Yankees from 2016 to 2022, and on paper, it looked like a successful partnership. Three All-Star selections. A bullpen anchor who helped New York reach the postseason five straight years from 2017 to 2021. The guy was supposed to be their closer for the long haul.
But behind the scenes? Apparently, things were messier than a ninth-inning meltdown. “I dealt with a lot of disrespect,” Chapman said. “I put up with a lot of things. I knew that they just wanted to find a way to get rid of me, but they didn’t know how. And I just dealt with it quietly, kept playing, and doing what I always do.”
The Cuban flamethrower made it clear his beef wasn’t with Manager Aaron Boone or his teammates. “I got along well with all the players,” he said. “Never had a problem with anybody, even the manager. We’re friends and we talk and everything. The bosses are the ones who make those decisions.”
The 2022 Season: When Everything Fell Apart
If you want to understand why Chapman feels this way, just rewind to 2022. That season was a disaster wrapped in a Yankees uniform. First, Chapman got sidelined for a month because of an infection from a tattoo. Yeah, you read that right. A tattoo infection. The Yankees publicly stayed quiet, but you could almost feel the eye-rolling happening behind closed doors.
Then came the real breaking point. Days before the American League Division Series against the Guardians, Chapman skipped a mandatory team workout. The Yankees didn’t just shrug it off. They fined him, publicly called him out, and left him off the ALDS roster entirely.
General Manager Brian Cashman was brutal in his assessment, questioning whether Chapman was “all in.” For a guy who had been a cornerstone of their bullpen, that had to sting. Chapman’s tenure with the Yankees ended not with a bang, but with a whimper and a whole lot of bad blood.
Chapman’s Career After New York
Since leaving the Bronx, Chapman has been on a bit of a journey. He bounced from the Kansas City Royals to the Texas Rangers (where he won his second World Series title, by the way) to the Pittsburgh Pirates before landing with Boston.
And here’s the kicker: The 37-year-old is pitching better than ever. Last season with the Red Sox, Chapman posted a ridiculous 1.17 ERA with 32 saves and a 0.70 WHIP. Those are career-best numbers. The kind of numbers that make you wonder if leaving New York was the best thing that ever happened to him.
Boston clearly saw something special, rewarding him with a one-year, $13.3 million contract for 2026 that includes a vesting option for 2027. Not bad for a guy who was supposedly washed up when he left the Yankees.
Why This Matters
Chapman’s comments aren’t just salty remarks from a disgruntled ex-employee. They shine a light on how player-organization relationships can sour even when the statistics look good. Chapman had 153 saves with a 2.95 ERA during his Yankees tenure. Those are solid numbers. But clearly, there was a disconnect between what was happening on the field and what was happening behind the scenes.
It is also a reminder that the Yankees, for all their history and prestige, aren’t immune to mishandling relationships with star players. When a three-time All-Star says he’d rather retire than play for you again, that’s not great for your reputation around the league.
The Bottom Line
Chapman is now firmly planted on the other side of one of baseball’s most intense rivalries. And based on his podcast appearance, he’s perfectly happy there. The Red Sox are getting a dominant closer who’s pitching some of the best baseball of his career. The Yankees? They’re getting a very public reminder that burning bridges with players can come back to haunt you.
Will Chapman actually retire if somehow, someway, he ends up back in pinstripes? Who knows. But the fact that he’s even saying it tells you everything you need to know about how his time in New York ended.
