Star closer Aroldis Chapman returns to the Yankees, after previously testing positive for COVID-19, and does so by recording a couple of negative tests.
It’s still unclear if Chapman will jump directly to the active roster at this point. He hit the disabled list on July 11, so he’s been out of action for a decent period, but maybe he won’t need much acceleration if he’s been able to pitch while on the bench.
The Yankees reached a new deal last fall with Chapman, who could have opted out and tried free agency. The 32-year-old is making a prorated share of a $ 16MM salary this year and will be paid the same in each of the next two seasons.
Good to know that Chapman was able to eliminate the virus in no time. And it’s obviously great news for the back of the Yankees pen too. Chapman’s left-arm flamethrower wasn’t that hot last year, averaging just 98.2 mph on his four-seam fastball, but he made up for it by gaining confidence in his slider.
Even in his slightly less dominant form, Chapman remained an absolute force. He pitched 57 innings of 2.21 ERA last year, with a swinging strike rate of 14.1% while allowing just 0.47 home runs for nine.. (GG) (Tomado MLB Rumors)