Aroldis Chapman’s Closer Job in Jeopardy After Another Miserable Performance
Chapman #Chapman
The Yankees’ closer has given up 14 earned runs in his last nine appearances, unraveling after a tremendous start to the season
NEW YORK — The timing was uncanny.
Shortly after Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman blew a save against the Mets—allowing the crosstown rival to win Game 1 of a doubleheader—it was announced that the closer had made the American League All-Star team.
As much as Chapman earned the trip to his seventh All-Star Game with an unhittable start to the season—allowing just one earned run through his first 23 appearances—it’s been a different story of late.
Chapman’s latest implosion raises his ERA on the season to 4.71, four full points higher than it was less than a month ago.
All of that in mind, when Aaron Boone was asked after New York’s loss on Sunday afternoon if Chapman’s role as the closer needs to be reevaluated, the manager concurred.
“We’ll continue to talk through that,” Boone said. “Obviously we’ve got another important [game] right now, so that’ll be something that we talk after these games and obviously with the off day tomorrow, so we’ll have to talk through that.”
Chapman recently cited the command of his blazing fastball as a source for his shaky performances of late. On Sunday, it was a hanging slider to Pete Alonso that resulted in a game-tying home run and yet another blown save.
Even with 14 earned runs to Chapman’s name over his last nine outings, Boone isn’t giving up hope. His role may change out of the bullpen soon, but the skipper seemed almost impervious to Chapman’s new low.
“I felt confident in Chappy coming in,” Boone said.
As for the All-Star Game selection, Chapman said it means a lot.
“The way I started the season and the performance those months gave me an idea that it could have been a possibility,” he said through the team’s interpreter. “But at the same time, it’s surprising and nice given that the past couple weeks have been tough for me but it’s great to hear it.”
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