Aroldis Chapman’s Yankees comments highlight biggest Brian Cashman problem of all

If it wasn’t obvious by now, Aroldis Chapman officially made himself Public Enemy No. 1 of New York Yankees fans this October. They already hated him, but his inflammatory comments last week really sealed the deal. You won’t find a single Yankees supporter out there wishing him well.

Chapman’s revealing response to his tenure with the Yankees honestly wasn’t all that surprising. It was evident he gave up on the team when he wasn’t getting his way and was performing poorly back in 2022. Sorry, buddy, but just because you had name recognition and a big salary didn’t mean you could get a tattoo infection, miss crucial time, and then call the shots over your inclusion on the playoff roster.

The fact he played the victim here is downright hilarious considering he was unable to perform rudimentary tasks in New York. He couldn’t locate his fastball. His secondary pitches were slop. His velocity declined. And then, magically, all of those things improved the moment he departed, as famously highlighted by his quote about locating his fastball when he joined the rival Red Sox.

It is patently insane the Yankees pulled out all the stops to acquire this guy, and that is the exact crux of this entire issue. Cashman continues to target the wrong high-profile players for New York, resulting in the franchise’s second-longest championship drought in history.

When he was suspended under the league’s domestic violence policy, Cashman saw an opportunity and bought low in a trade with the Reds. Then he traded Chapman at the 2016 deadline to take advantage of the Chicago Cubs’ desperation to win a World Series.

And then he paid top dollar to Chapman TWICE despite the fact he nearly blew the Cubs’ chances in Game 7 of the World Series (and had little postseason experience prior to that). Chapman signed two deals that saw him collect $100 million over his seven-year stint with New York.

Yankees fans have zero sympathy for Aroldis Chapman, but he reflects poorly on Brian Cashman

Yankees fans never really wanted him, and the extension Cashman gave him after the 2019 season was the death knell. He had just blown the ALCS in unthinkable fashion and didn’t deserve more money after smirking as Jose Altuve rounded the bases in that Game 6 elimination.

Chapman had one more parting gift for the Yankees, as he’d go on to surrender the season-losing home run to Mike Brosseau of the Rays in the 2020 ALDS. He wouldn’t appear in a playoff game again for the Yankees.

And in classic Cashman fashion, he managed to make the relationship worse. Chapman alleging all of this “disrespect” must go beyond the unceremonious ending to the 2022 campaign. But this is how it goes. Think about all of the bad/ill-advised/poor fit contracts/trades Cashman has given out/executed over the years that have resulted in players feeling slighted.

Giancarlo Stanton still isn’t really a fit in the Bronx, and that was Cashman’s most notable “blockbuster.” The Sonny Gray, Joey Gallo, James Paxton and Josh Donaldson trades. The Aaron Hicks extension. The Carlos Rodón, Anthony Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu, Zack Britton and JA Happ contracts. The way Didi Gregorious, Masahiro Tanaka and Brett Gardner were treated on their way out. Everything involving Gleyber Torres and Domingo German. The handling of every prospect from Miguel Andújar to Clint Frazier to Oswald Peraza to Anthony Volpe.

This front office cannot detect the right personnel for New York. They haven’t been able to for over a decade now. Chapman screamed it loud and clear. The fans are being validated by it. Wonder when ownership will get a hint.