New York Yankees bullpen arm Aroldis Chapman was forced to the 15-day injured list this past weekend due to a leg infection stemming from a tattoo he recently received of his sister. This is undoubtedly one of the more ridiculous injuries the Yankees have sustained this season and possibly the last few years.
The infection made Chapman sick, eventually forcing the hand of manager Aaron Boone so he could supplement his roster spot.
“I feel much better now,” Chapman said after Sunday’s game.
Chapman alluded to other tattoos he’s received midseason in the past, never having an issue of this nature before.
- Yankees are seeing top outfield prospect get off to an excellent start
- Yankees face difficult infield situation with injuries taking hold
- Yankees’ struggling bullpen arm may have flipped the script
“I’ve gotten some tattoos in the middle of the season, but I’ve never had any issues before,” he said.
The Yankees were forced to make a signing:
With the absence of Chapman, the Yankees have had to make a few changes in the bullpen. They signed Anthony Banda to a contract, who pitched on Sunday to help soften the blow. Chapman has had a polarizing campaign up to this point, featuring a 4.70 ERA and 4.86 XFIP, two of the worst numbers in his career.
In fact, over his last three games, Chapman has given up three earned runs, sitting with a 3.68 ERA in August, which is one of his better months.
“We have a really good bullpen and I’m part of that bullpen, so of course you’re going to feel bad not being there for them,” Chapman said.
Coming off Achilles tendinitis, Chapman seems to be pitching more efficiently the past few weeks, but he’s fallen out of favor with Boone, who hasn’t utilized him in high-level situations. Clay Holmes has stolen that job away from Chapman with little competition.
“I don’t think this is going to take away too much time for me,” said Chapman. “I’m just waiting the next couple of days for everything to heal correctly so that I can start doing all kinds of baseball activities. I think I’ll probably do a bullpen and then right into games.”
Chapman projects he will make a return in the coming days, but at a time when the Yankees are sustaining a significant number of injuries, players need to be extra cautious with how they are treating their bodies.