Chapman opens spring with strong statements
TAMPA — After signing a five-year, $86 million deal to return to the Yankees last year, Aroldis Chapman didn’t have an ideal first full season in The Bronx.
He missed more than a month in the f irst half with rotator cuff inflammation in his left shoulder. He also gave up two homers to left-handed hitters (Rafael Devers and Yonder Alonso) after allowing just one in his career before 2017.
And there was a stretch in August in which he was scored upon in four straight appearances, which led to Chapman briefly losing his role as closer.
“I definitely don’t want to go through the same rough patch that I did last year,” Chapman said through a translator Thursday. “I want to prevent that from happening.”
So the lefty spent much of the offseason on strength and conditioning.
“I worked a lot on my shoulder and arm,’’ Chapman said. “I wanted to become stronger and have more stamina to prevent injuries and fatigue.”
It’s hard to believe the issue with Chapman, the hardest-throwing pitcher in the game, was strength, but something certainly needed to be addressed following a season in which he had some of the worst numbers of his career.
His strikeouts were down — 12.3 per nine innings were a career-low. His ERA was up — 3.22 was the highest since Chapman became a full- time closer with the Reds in 2012.
Chapman was significantly better with both the Yankees and Cubs in 2016 and was very effective toward the end of last season.
He managed to redeem himself in September and won the closer role back. Chapman finished the regular season with 10 scoreless innings in his final nine appearances, striking out 13, while permitting just four baserunners.
The success carried into the playoffs, when Chapman gave up just one run in eight innings, while whiffing 16.
The season ended in disappointment, with Chapman and the Yankees falling to the Astros in seven games in the ALCS, after Chapman had won the World Series with the Cubs the previous season.
Now, Chapman is back as an integral piece to a bullpen the Yankees figure to rely on as they try to get back to the postseason, with David Robertson, Dellin Betances, Tommy Kahnle, Chad Green and Adam Warren all in the fold.
“The expectation for us is to keep going further,’’ Chapman said. “The key is to work really hard. We want to get beyond [where we got] last season, get to the World Series and hopefully win it all.”