New York Yankees: Time to be concerned about Aroldis Chapman?

The self-proclaimed Cuban Missile, Aroldis Chapman’s closer days with the New York Yankees may be over sooner than later.

This is not due to his contract expiring this season, but due to the numbers and player performance. Aaron Boone has confirmed that Chapman will have another role this year (New York Post), sometimes pitching in the eighth inning. A move very unusual for the famous closer. Chapman has agreed to this role change, which is actually in his best interest.

Aroldis Chapman may be losing grasp on closer role for New York Yankees

The concerns started last season when Chapman had a 3.36 ERA, his second-worst ERA in his career. We are talking of a pitcher with an ERA above 3.00 only twice in his 12 seasons in the majors, making last season problematic for most Yankees fans. However, not only did his ERA increase, but his walk percentage is up, and his strikeout rate has decreased somewhat.

Chapman’s most thrown pitch has been the fastball as of late, with a 46.9% usage this season with a max velocity of 97.1 mph. The problem? He is all over the place. His fastball was on 100 mph a couple of seasons ago, and his control for the pitch has gone overboard. As a result, Chapman has become all velocity, no control pitcher.

The good thing is that he is not hitting the batter for the lack of control. Last year he only hit three and threw seven wild pitches in 56.1 innings. Chapman had 34 save opportunities in 2021; he blew four of them. He has had a tough stretch in a couple of years. In 2016, he also blew the World Series game seven, but nobody remembers because the Cubs miraculously came back and won it all. Other essential mentions are blowing the 2019 ALCS game six and the 2020 ALDS game five. Both blown saves via the home run. Chapman is the only pitcher to do it back-to-back years.

The concern for “the missile” is his walk rate. So far this year, he has walked four batters in 3.1 innings heading into Tuesday night. However, his stat line looks sound on paper with no blown saves this year with a 0.00 ERA and a 1.200 WHIP. But his blown saves have been too significant, especially in the playoffs. As a result, the Yankees no longer trust him in big spot situations.

Chapman has been too volatile across his career. It is understandable. The pitcher may need a chance of scenery because the strikeout rate and velocity are still in there. The Yankees flipped him once; they can do it again. But, of course, if New York doesn’t think they can compete this year with a tough division.

In the meantime, the New York Yankees are platooning the closer role between Jonathan Loaisiga, Chad Green, and Michael King. But, to have a closer, New York needs to create opportunities to win. The Yanks are sitting right at .500 with a 5-5 record. They will take the Detroit Tigers next in Comerica Park.