Yankees Remove Key Relief Pitcher From Playoff Series Roster For ‘Shocking’ Reason

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The Yankees will be without Aroldis Chapman for the playoffs. The relief pitcher was MIA when the team took the field for postseason preparations over the weekend.

Chapman has been a key cog in the backend of the New York bullpen. The left-hander was 4-4 on the year with nine saves. This, coming a season after recording 30 saves in an All-Star campaign.

Now, it looks as if the bullpen will be shorthanded when the team needs him most as manager Aaron Boone alluded to in his latest media appearance. The reasoning behind that removal was apparently “shocking” but not “surprising” to the Yankees’ front office.

Yankees remove Aroldis Chapman from playoff roster

Chapman reportedly skipped out on practice Friday, and the excuse given to the team was not sufficient.

Here’s MLB insider Bryan Hoch on what manager Aaron Boone had to say about his star pitcher’s absence.

Aroldis Chapman will not be on the playoff roster. He missed a workout and had “not an acceptable excuse,” Aaron Boone said.

Aroldis Chapman was scheduled to throw a live batting practice session and skipped it. Chapman has gone home to Miami.

Boone said the Yankees are exploring disciplinary action against Aroldis Chapman in addition to leaving him off the playoff roster.

While Brian Cashman said Chapman “effectively removed himself from this round of the playoffs,” his season may not quite be over. There’s a chance he can return should New York advance past the ALDS.

That task has been made just a bit more difficult thanks to their relief pitcher’s decision to not show at workouts. The Yankees take on the Guardians in a best-of-five series, which begins on Tuesday.

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