Aaron Boone Refuses to Reopen Aroldis Chapman Feud: ‘Water Under the Bridge’

Yankees manager Aaron Boone is done relitigating the bitter 2022 breakup with Aroldis Chapman, even as the star closer continues to demand an apology from New York general manager Brian Cashman. Speaking with reporters, Boone made it clear he has no interest in revisiting the drama.

“It’s water under the bridge for me,” Boone said, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “I love Chappy. I have a really good relationship with him to this day, but the ending of the 2022 season is what it was. He wasn’t there, and I made the decision that I didn’t think it was best for him to come back at that point.”

The root of the tension dates back to October 2022, when Chapman was left off the Yankees’ postseason roster after failing to show up for a mandatory workout. Chapman has insisted he had permission to miss it. Cashman and the organization saw it differently. Now that Chapman is the Red Sox closer, reports have surfaced that New York might be exploring a trade to bring him back as a replacement for struggling closer David Bednar — a move that apparently reignited Chapman’s demand for an apology.

Boone Stands by His Decision

Boone didn’t back down when asked whether he regrets the decision to bench Chapman for that playoff run. “At the end of the day, he wasn’t at the workout. I made the decision based on a lot of things and thought to leave him off because I thought that was the right thing to do for our club at the time,” he said, via Gary Phillips of the New York Post Sports. Boone added that Chapman has since apologized, and the manager has accepted it — but he still believes the call was correct.

“Chappy apologized, and, really, it’s water under the bridge for me,” Boone repeated.

Chapman’s Side of the Story

According to ESPN’s Enrique Rojas, Chapman has been adamant that Cashman owes him an apology — not the other way around. The flame-throwing lefty reportedly feels he was unfairly maligned after missing a practice he thought he had clearance to skip. The rumors of a potential Yankees reunion have only amplified his push for public vindication. The team has not confirmed any trade talks involving Chapman.

For now, Boone is keeping the focus on the current roster — and making it clear that whatever bridge was burned in 2022 has already been rebuilt, at least on his end. Whether Chapman and Cashman can reach the same détente remains an open question.