Aroldis Chapman seeks an apology from Brian Cashman before returning to the Yankees.

TORONTO — Aroldis Chapman Seeks Apology from Yankees’ GM

It’s tough to picture the Yankees bringing back a player who left under such negative circumstances, or the Red Sox aiding their rivals by trading away one of the summer’s leading relievers. But if either situation were to unfold, Aroldis Chapman has made it clear he would first want an apology from Brian Cashman.

“What happened, happened,” Chapman commented, as he spoke to ESPN Deportes. “I think someone in this organization should first apologize.”

When pressed further about whether he meant Cashman, Chapman simply replied, “Yes.”

Now, Chapman, who holds a remarkable 0.46 ERA along with 13 saves this season with the Red Sox, last played for the Yankees during one of the final regular season games in 2022. A rocky season led to him losing his closer spot, and he ultimately missed the postseason roster after a workout mishap that Aaron Boone found unacceptable. Cashman also fined him for his absence during training.

Throughout that year, Chapman had a leg infection stemming from a tattoo, and Cashman expressed doubts about his commitment moving forward. “I doubt he’s going to be all in for a while,” he remarked.

At 38, it seemed Chapman had shut the door on any return to the Yankees. He mentioned on a podcast that if he was informed of a trade back to New York, he would simply “pack up and go home. If that happened, I would retire right then and there. I’m not crazy. I’ll never do it again.”

Yankees Face Roster Decisions with Jason Dominguez

The Yankees are facing an intriguing choice regarding Jason Dominguez, who is set to come off the disabled list. Whether he’s ready or needs a couple more rehab games this weekend is still uncertain.

Assuming no hidden injuries emerge among the current players, the Yankees must decide among three options to create space for Dominguez on the active roster: Spencer Jones, Anthony Volpe, or they could send Max Schumann back down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Dominguez, a switch-hitting outfielder recovering from a mild AC joint sprain, played in his fourth rehab game on Wednesday. His return could be crucial for the Yankees, especially since Aaron Judge is out due to a stress fracture in his first rib.

Before Dominguez’s injury, he was hitting significantly better and had become a valuable asset in a lineup noted for its left-handed hitters.

Jones, a left-handed hitter who has been impressive in his second major league stint, recently hit his first home run, yet he has only gone up against a lefty in one of his 12 starts. This could limit his chances as the Yankees may want to utilize the designated hitter position for either Ben Rice or Paul Goldschmidt.

As for Volpe, who has been under scrutiny from fans, some of his action at shortstop occurred because Jose Caballero was needed in right field. If Dominguez comes back, it’s likely Caballero will not continue playing there, whether it involves moving Cody Bellinger or deploying Dominguez in right.

Volpe, currently batting 2-of-24, raises the question of whether Caballero might reclaim the starting shortstop position, making Volpe potentially expendable. On the other hand, Schumann has shown solid utility since stepping up in late April and consistently makes an impact.