Key ex-Cubs return with Yankees

World Series rings will be presented to Aroldis Chapman and Adam Warren this weekend at Wrigley Field, while Starlin Castro just hopes that the old ballpark will ring with cheers for him — at least one more time.

“I’m pretty happy to go back and play there,” Castro said of the New York Yankees’ interleague series against the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs that begins Friday. “I can’t wait to see how they react the first time that I go there.”

As the Cubs shortstop, Castro made three All-Star teams before his November 2015 trade to the Yankees but only got as far as the 2015 National League Championship Series.

“(It) didn’t happen when I’m there, but I feel happy for those guys,” Castro said of Chapman and Warren being on the team that ended the Cubs’ 108-year title drought. “I just wanted the Cubbies (to win) because I have a lot of good relationships with the teammates I had over there.’’

Warren, for whom Castro was traded, wound up back in the Bronx when Yankees general manager Brian Cashman shipped Chapman to Chicago — part of last summer’s tradedeadline purge for a haul that included infield prospect Gleyber Torres.

“I’m excited about (receiving the ring),” Chapman said through a translator. “(I’m) happy to go back to the city, but at the same time, we’re going over there to compete.”

After Chapman returned to the Yankees on a fiveyear, $86 million free agent contract, the flame-throwing lefty closer complained about how Cubs manager Joe Maddon overused him in the postseason, particularly in Game 6 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians.

The next night, Chap- man gave up a shocking game-tying homer to Rajai Davis in the eighth inning but rebounded to pitch a scoreless ninth — and he forever will be remembered in Wrigleyville as the winning pitcher in Game 7.

“I think every player wants to get to the World Series and have a World Series ring,” Chapman said. “(It) means a lot to me.”

Chapman said he broke the ice with Maddon in January, when they spoke at a White House ceremony honoring the Cubs.

“(I’ll) just say hi. I have a good relationship with him overall,” Chapman said of Maddon. “Looking forward to having a chat with him and talk about anything, talk about baseball or any other stuff.”

At the White House ceremony, Maddon congratulated Chapman on his new contract and extended an invitation to his restaurant in Tampa, where the Yankees hold spring training.

Asked whether his October workload had any carryover into the season, Chapman said, “Not at all.’’

Like Castro, Chapman hopes there are a lot of cheers when he appears Friday at Wrigley Field.

“I hope I’m welcome. We’ll see,” the left-hander said, adding, “The fans in Chicago are good fans.”

Chapman re-enters Wrigley with a 1-0 record, six saves and a 0.87 ERA in 11 games. He has 16 strikeouts in 101⁄ innings and is un3 leashing 100-mph fastballs.

“It’s going to be fun going back to Wrigley,” said Castro, who is leading the Yankees in batting average, hitting .362 with a .402 onbase percentage and a .543 slugging percentage over his first 26 games. He has five home runs and 16 RBI.

“I feel good that I’ve hit well,” Castro said of his hot start. “But no matter how I hit, (I’ll) just try to do my job and compete against my ex-teammates.’’

Castro is most eager to see first baseman Anthony Rizzo, “because that’s one of the guys that started with me,” when the Cubs made the transition from doormat to contender.

But once the games begin, the past will be set aside for present loyalties.

Castro isn’t a Cub anymore, and Chapman will be the enemy again.