New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman remains unsigned beyond this baseball season.
Even if closer Aroldis Chapman would prefer to stay in pinstripes, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has not approached his camp about a possible extension.
Though last year was challenging, the 34-year-old southpaw made his seventh career trip to the All-Star Game. While he has looked good thus far in two appearances for the Yankees, Chapman has said through the team’s interpreter that he has not been approached by Cashman about possibly out playing out another contract with the Yankees. Chapman will be a free agent in 2023.
“Of course I would like to have the opportunity to sign another contract. Yeah, definitely,” said Chapman to NJ.com through his interpreter. “At the same time, it’s one of those things that — it’s kind of out of my hands. I’m here today. I’m going to do my job and focus on that.”
While he may have to change roles in his late 30s, Chapman would prefer to retire as a closer.
New York Yankees: Latest contract talks surrounding Aroldis Chapman
“It’s hard to say,” said Chapman. “If it was up to me, I would love to retire as a closer. But at the same time, you don’t know what kind of negotiation could come in the future. You don’t know what kind of requests you might get from the future or who you’re negotiating with at the time. So, it’s hard to say. I would love to retire as a closer.”
Chapman has been a closer pretty much his entire big-league career. This is the role he assumed during his breakout season with the 2012 Cincinnati Reds. Chapman eclipsed the 300 career saves threshold last season and could easily approach and surpass 400 in a Yankees uniform if he gets an extension. However, the Yankees may need to wait and see how this year unfolds for him first.
The last thing the Yankees’ brass will want to do is give big money to a player past his prime yielding diminishing returns. Not to say Chapman is over the hill, but he is coming off arguably the worst season of his career. Control issues were a problem, as he walked far too many guys for his lofty standard. Then again, refocused Chapman in a contract year could get him one last cash grab.
Though the Yankees may bring back Chapman, they have to figure out Aaron Judge’s contract first.