Chapman (knee) struck out two in a perfect inning during Sunday's 2-0 win over the Rockies.
Chapman was bothered by a knee issue last week, but he appears fine now. He has a save and three holds while allowing just one run over his last 7.2 innings with a 14:8 K:BB in that span. The southpaw continues to primarily serve as the setup man to Scott Barlow, though the Royals' overall struggles have limited save chances so far. Chapman has a 2.95 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 35:14 K:BB with two saves and seven holds over 21.1 innings.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Unavailable Friday with knee issue
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Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Chapman was unavailable Friday versus the Rockies because his "knee has been barking," Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Chapman was unavailable to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning, and Carlos Hernandez (thumb) and Nick Wittgren failed to do so in his stead. It's a little concerning that the knee issue was enough to keep Chapman off the mound after the Royals just had a two-day break, but the southpaw should be considered day-to-day at this time.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Earns second save
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Chapman picked up the save Tuesday against Detroit. He allowed one walk while striking out two over a scoreless inning.
After blowing each of his last two save opportunities, Chapman bounced back with a hitless ninth to secure his second save of the season. Chapman has allowed just one hit and no runs in his last five appearances (five innings) while striking out 10 batters and was given the save chance Tuesday with Scott Barlow getting the night off after tossing 1.2 innings Monday. Though Chapman has yet to allow a home run through 18.2 innings, he has a tendency to get himself into trouble by handing out walks (5.8 BB/9).
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Dealt second loss
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Chapman (1-2) allowed two runs on a hit and three walks in one-third of an inning, taking the loss and a blown save Thursday versus the Orioles.
Chapman was called upon to preserve a one-run lead in the eighth inning and couldn't get the job done, walking three of the five batters he faced. Amir Garrett was able to induce a double play to limit the damage, but he then struggled in the ninth. Chapman has been scored on in three of his last five outings. He now has a 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB through 11.2 innings while adding a save, a blown save and three holds.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Collects win Saturday
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Chapman (1-1) struck out two in a perfect inning, earning the win Saturday versus the Twins.
Chapman faltered a bit during the team's last series in Arizona, allowing three runs (two earned) over 1.1 innings in two appearances, but he got back on track Saturday. The hard-throwing lefty has pitched well this season with a 1.74 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 19:3 K:BB across 10.1 innings. He's added a save and two holds. Chapman continues to be part of the late-inning mix, though Scott Barlow has seen the bulk of the closing duties on the rare occasions the Royals have a lead to protect.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Surrenders first run of season
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Chapman (0-1) allowed a run on a hit and a walk with one strikeout over one inning, taking the loss Monday versus the Diamondbacks.
Chapman started the year on an eight-inning scoreless streak, but it came to a close Monday. He walked Christian Walker and allowed a single to Gabriel Moreno before Nick Ahmed's fielder's choice plated the decisive run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Chapman still has an excellent 16:3 K:BB with a 1.00 ERA and 0.67 WHIP through nine innings. However, the Royals' 5-18 start to the season has allowed him to pick up just one save and one hold. Chapman's usage suggests he's still at least slightly behind the struggling Scott Barlow in the closer hierarchy.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Gets first save
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Chapman picked up the save Saturday against the Giants while striking out two over a perfect inning.
That's the first save of the year for Chapman, and the first he's picked up as a member of the Royals. The left-hander has appeared in four games thus far in 2023, and he's struck out eight hitters over his four innings without allowing a run. It's early, but Chapman looks like the version that made him one of the best closers in baseball not too long ago. It's worth noting that teammate Scott Barlow closed out the Royals' win one day earlier.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Strikes out side
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Chapman struck out the side in the ninth inning of Saturday's 2-0 loss against Minnesota.
Chapman breezed through the Minnesota lineup and needed just 13 pitches to pick up his three strikeouts. The southpaw was making his debut with the Royals, and it's tough to beat the results the 35-year-old had during Saturday's appearance. Chapman could be in line for saves for Kansas City in the 2023 season, but he has a bit of an undefined role to begin the year.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Next appearance Thursday
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Chapman had his next scheduled Cactus League appearance pushed from Wednesday to Thursday due to wet conditions, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Rainstorms blew threw Arizona on Wednesday afternoon and the Royals didn't want to risk an on-field mishap with their new high-leverage reliever. Chapman, signed to a one-year, $3.75 million contract in January, has recorded eight strikeouts through four innings this spring.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Injures mouth in home accident
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Chapman required stitches on a split lip and suffered a cracked tooth after he slipped and fell at his house Saturday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Chapman doesn't appear to be in any danger of missing extended time after the home accident, as he's expected to throw a bullpen session Tuesday before getting into a Cactus League game soon thereafter. The reliever joined the Royals on a one-year deal last month after spending the last six and a half seasons with the Yankees. The left-hander will look to recapture some of his former glory in 2023 after struggling to a career-worst 4.46 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 36.1 innings in 43 appearances with New York in 2022. Chapman is guaranteed $3.75 million on his deal, but the contract could escalate to a total value of $8.75 million based on performance bonuses for appearances and games finished. The Royals haven't formally clarified their plans for Chapman, but he could challenge Scott Barlow for the closer's role.
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Royals' Aroldis Chapman: Set to sign with Royals
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Chapman agreed to a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Royals on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
He'll have an opportunity to earn more in incentives. Chapman is coming off a disappointing season which saw him put up a 4.46 ERA with just nine saves for the Yankees, but it's possible he'll get another chance to close for the Royals. Scott Barlow should remain Kansas City's closer to open 2023 after he posted a 2.18 ERA last season, but Chapman could push for the job with a strong start to the campaign.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Won't make ALDS roster
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Chapman will not be included on the ALDS roster after failing to show up for a team workout, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.
Chapman had turned in scoreless appearances in six of his last seven outings of the regular season, but the team will come down hard on the reliever after he didn't show up to a scheduled team workout. With Chapman out of the bullpen mix, the Yankees will need to rely on Jonathan Loaisiga, Clarke Schmidt and Lucas Luetge in high-leverage spots during the ALDS. Manager Aaron Boone has not ruled Chapman out for the entire postseason at this point, per Meredith Marakovits of YES Network.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Control struggles continue
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Chapman (3-4) took the loss against Baltimore on Sunday, allowing two runs on one hit and three walks in one-third of an inning. The only out he recorded was by strikeout.
Chapman entered with the score tied 1-1 in the seventh inning and allowed a leadoff single. He then issued two walks to load the bases before striking out Ryan Mountcastle. The veteran reliever couldn't follow up on that successful out, however, as he next walked Gunnar Henderson to allow the go-ahead run to cross the plate. Altogether, Chapman tossed just 12 of 26 pitches for strikes, and this was the fourth time in his past eight outings that he's walked multiple batters. He's posted an awful 7.1 BB/9 over 35.1 innings on the season, and Bryan Hoch of MLB.com suggests that Chapman is in danger of missing out on the Yankees' postseason roster.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Earns win in relief
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Chapman (3-3) earned the win with a scoreless inning Tuesday against the Pirates. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.
In his second appearance since being reinstated from the injured list, Chapman pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn his third win of the season. The outing likely was intended to just get the veteran some work, but the Yankees pulled off a remarkable comeback capped off by a walkoff grand slam by Giancarlo Stanton to secure Chapman's win. With Clay Holmes looking shakier of late, Chapman may well find himself back in the closer role if he strings together a couple more scoreless outings.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Works scoreless inning in return
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Chapman pitched a scoreless inning against the Brewers on Saturday, allowing one walk and striking out one batter.
Chapman missed nearly a month due to a leg infection, but he was reinstated Friday and made his return to the mound Saturday. The veteran reliever was used in a low-leverage situation in the seventh inning, so it appears that the Yankees will ease him back before potentially giving him high-leverage work (though likely not as a closer, since Clay Holmes has taken hold of that role). Though Chapman didn't allow any runs in his return, he threw only nine of 17 pitches for strikes and walked a batter. Control has been been a major issue for Chapman this season -- his 6.5 K/9 is on pace to be his worst mark since 2011 and is fifth-worst among MLB pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Set to return Friday
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Chapman (leg) will join the Yankees in Milwaukee on Friday and will be activated for the series opener against the Brewers, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
The veteran left-hander appeared in two minor-league games during his rehab assignment earlier this week and is poised to rejoin the big club Friday after being sidelined more than three weeks by a leg infection. Clay Holmes is back in the closer role since he returned from the injured list in late August, and Chapman could fill a setup role upon his activation.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Begins rehab stint
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Chapman (leg) struck out three batters and walked one in a scoreless inning for Double-A Somerset on Sunday.
Chapman made his first rehab appearance since landing on the injured list with a leg infection at the end of August. The veteran reliever entered in the fourth inning and struck out the side while issuing one walk, and he threw 10 of 16 pitches for strikes. Chapman could return to the Yankees by the end of this week, but he's unlikely to usurp Clay Holmes for the closer role.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Rehab assignment on tap
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Chapman (leg) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Somerset on Sunday, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports.
Chapman threw a bullpen session Friday and will return to game action in the minors to close out the weekend. The southpaw expects to need at least one more rehab appearance prior to rejoining the Yankees, so it's possible that he'll remain on the injured list until late next week.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Bullpen session Friday
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Chapman (leg) is set to throw a bullpen session Friday, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports.
Chapman has been out of action since Aug. 27 when his leg became infected after getting a tattoo. He's yet to face any major setbacks in his rehab process and could very well come off the injured list within a few days.
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Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Appears ready for mound work
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Chapman (leg) is due to resume throwing off a mound this week, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports.
Chapman was placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 27 after he developed an infection in his leg, which stemmed from a tattoo he added to his body a few days prior. The left-handed fireballer was cleared to resume throwing over the weekend and appears to have thus far experienced no setbacks, so he'll take another step forward within a couple days by getting back on the mound. Chapman looks like he has a chance at returning from the IL in the minimum amount of time, but he may have to settle for a setup role out of the bullpen with Clay Holmes having recently returned from the IL to possibly take over as the Yankees' primary closing option.
