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Yankees are pitching Aroldis Chapman too much, and need to stop soon

By Rucker Haringey

BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 01: Aroldis Chapman #54 of the New York Yankees pitches during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 1, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Yankees won 4-1. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 01: Aroldis Chapman #54 of the New York Yankees pitches during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 1, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Yankees won 4-1. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Aroldis Chapman is the most effective weapon in the Yankees bullpen. If Aaron Boone wants him to stay that way in October, he must cut down his workload. 

As Carson Shreve walked off the mound Saturday afternoon after failing to record an out, the collective minds of the Yankees fan base were relieved to see Aroldis Chapman take the ball from Aaron Boone. Predictably, the electric left hander silenced the Tampa Bay Rays’ offense and the Yankees emerged with another win. If Aaron Boone wants Chapman to be a dominant force in October, he’s going to have to find a way to stop relying on him so much in June.

To date, Chapman has made 30 appearances and pitched 29.2 innings. He’s been able to rack up an impressive tally of 19 saves by putting up a stellar ERA of just 1.21. Chapman is dominating the competition almost every time he takes the mound.

How he’s pitching isn’t the problem. Instead, it’s how much he’s pitching. If the Yankees continue to use him at his current pace he’ll make 78 appearances and pitch just over 77 innings. That might not seem like a lot, but both numbers would represent career highs for Chapman. The talented Cuban hasn’t pitched over 70 innings in a season since 2012. Last year, he only managed to get through 50.1.

There are several very logical explanations to how much the Yankees have used Chapman to date. First off, they’ve been involved in a high percentage of close games. Despite the team’s powerful offense, they haven’t blown opponents out very often. The sheer volume of save opportunities has contributed to his high usage. Only one other reliever, David Robertson, has registered a save this season. Chapman’s good health combined with his team’s penchant for playing close games has certainly upped his usage.

Unfortunately for Yankees fans, the issue goes deeper than that. The harsh truth is that no one else in the bullpen has earned Boone’s trust. Heading into the season, the hope was that Robertson could also be counted on in high-leverage situations. His performance on the season has been decent, but he’s been roughed up too many times to inspire true confidence. His ERA of 3.69 is over three times what Chapman’s is at the moment.

The obvious question is what the Yankees can do about this issue. Simply hoping Robertson will bounce back isn’t an actual plan. The good news is that isn’t the only option available to Brian Cashman and company.

The team does have three relievers who can step up and take some of Chapman’s workload. Dellin Betances, Chad Green and Jonathan Holder are all enjoying excellent seasons. Betances, in particular, has the dynamic stuff to get elite hitters out in high-leverage situations. Yankee fans know he can’t pitch more than one inning at a time, but he should still get more opportunities in save situations.

The other clear option available to the club is to pursue another top relief pitcher via the trade market. Acquiring an elite starting pitcher for a reasonable is going to be a real challenge due to the lack of options available. Cashman should have the ability to deal a mid-tier prospect or a fringe regular for a productive bullpen arm before the deadline. Someone like Kelvin Herrera could come right into the Yankees bullpen and give Boone an immediate alternative to Chapman against certain opponents.

Admittedly, there’s a potential downside for the Yankees here. They’re locked in a tight race with the Boston Red Sox to win the AL East. The team who finishes second will be forced to play for their lives in a one-game playoff scenario. Losing even a game or two due to resting Chapman could put New York’s postseason hopes in a very precarious position.

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That doesn’t change the fact that the goal for the Yankees every season is to win a World Series. Simply getting to the playoffs isn’t enough. If Boone intends to captain this group to a title, he will need Aroldis Chapman to be electric in October. Overworking him this early in the season could make that impossible. No matter how the Yankees do it, the team has to find a way to lighten the load on their dominant closer.

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