Aroldis Chapman was a major piece of the New York Yankees’ resurgence in the late-2010s as he was the man the team called out of the bullpen to close out games.
But Chapman’s failure to close out the Houston Astros in the 2019 American League Championship Series will forever be seared into the minds of Yankees fans. It would be unlikely that they would want him back in the bullpen regardless of his comments on Monday.
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The two-time World Series champion told the “Swing Completo” podcast in Spanish that he would “retire on the spot” if he was traded back to the Yankees.
“No way. Not even dead,” he said, via the New York Post. “If I were told that I was being traded to New York, I’d pack my things and go home. I’ll retire right on the spot if that happens. I’m not crazy. Never again.”
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Chapman explained he felt “a lot of disrespect” while playing in the Bronx. He said he got along with the players and manager Aaron Boone but had an issue with how the “bosses” conducted business.
“I got along well with all the players, never had a problem with anybody, even the manager. We’re friends and we talk and everything,” he said. “The bosses are the ones who make those decisions.”
He pitched for the Yankees from 2017 to 2022.
Chapman won a World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2023. He pitched for the Boston Red Sox in 2025. He had a 1.17 ERA with 85 strikeouts.
He will turn 38 before the 2026 season begins.
