New York Yankees: Aroldis Chapman’s leash isn’t extremely long

Aroldis Chapman had arguably the worst season of his career in 2017. The New York Yankees expect him to rebound, but if he doesn’t, manager Aaron Boone might make a few changes.

Aroldis Chapman is no longer an unstoppable force. New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone needs to acknowledge that.

While fans hope – and maybe expect – that the left-hander rebounds in the upcoming season, they can’t be too optimistic. Thus, considering that New York has arguably the best bullpen unit in the league, Chapman’s leash shouldn’t be extraordinarily long.

The southpaw wasn’t overly dominant last year, though he still garnered plenty of strikeouts – 69 in 50 1/3 innings. He ranked 18th in strikeouts per nine innings among pitchers with at least 40 innings, but it was still a career-low 12.34 in that category overall.

Opposing hitters struggled against Chapman’s heater in the past. But during his stint in the American League, they capitalized against it. Of course, the 100-mph heater works exceptionally well against some guys, but not all of them anymore.

Joe Girardi yanked Chapman from his closing role in August of last year for a brief moment. While plenty of fans and analysts criticized the former skipper on how he utilized his relief staff, this was one of his smarter decisions.

The left-hander fared much better after being entrusted the ninth-inning spot once again. Chapman yielded just one run in September and October combined – including playoffs. He notched nine saves during an 18-game span, whiffing 33 hitters across 20 innings.

If the 29-year-old can replicate those numbers throughout a lengthier term, the Yankees won’t have any issues. Yet, even if Chapman faces some hiccups, he has a lot of support with him in the pen to alleviate any pressure put on him.

Robertson can lend a helping hand

Boone can allow Chapman to work out any future kinks in a setup – or just regular relief – role. With dependable veteran David Robertson and even Tommy Kahnle, the Yankees possess multiple pitchers that can shut the door in the final innings.

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Robertson is familiar with the position, even if he’s pitched better as a setup man throughout his career. But he’s trustworthy against just about any team, as he posted an impressive 1.03 ERA last year while collecting 51 strikeouts in 35 innings with New York.

Girardi entrusted Robertson with that role in the past, as he was Mariano Rivera’s successor. Thus, Boone has an opportunity to use the right-hander to his advantage and utilize him when matchups look favorable.

Chapman shouldn’t see Robertson as a competitor for his job, as the two are ultimately helping one another succeed in their position. And Chapman can take more days off with Robertson – and others – in his support group.

Next: Yankees can try out six-man rotation

The Yankees already look like significant contenders in the American League. Even if Chapman doesn’t return to elite status, they shouldn’t be worried about competing throughout the year.