The Yankees open their season Monday at home against the Astros. Most of them, anyway.
Notably absent will be their new flame-throwing closer, Aroldis Chapman, who will begin serving a 30-game suspension Monday. The suspension stems from an incident last October involving an argument with his girlfriend.
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Of course, when the Yankees acquired Chapman in a trade with the Reds in December, they knew they would be without the closer to start the season. They'll go with Andrew Miller in that role in the interim even as he recovers from a chip fracture to his right (non-throwing) wrist suffered last week.
Still, Chapman is left to deal with a somewhat odd situation — he enters a new season, with a new team, yet he'll be only a spectator until May 9, when he is eligible to return.
“I wouldn’t say strange … but it’s something different, of course," Chapman told the New York Post via an interpreter Saturday. "But what I need to do is focus on my work, and time will go by, and I’ll be there as soon as possible.”
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The left-hander pitched well this spring, posting a 2.45 ERA in eight appearances, striking out 13 and walking five in 7 1/3 innings. Now the trick will be to maintain his form while serving his suspension. He'll remain in Tampa at the Yankees' minor league complex tossing the ball from the mound and pitching in extended spring training games.
And when the Yankees play, he'll be watching on TV.
“I’ll definitely be watching,” he told the Post. "I want to see how my teammates are doing. It’s important to me that I’m up to date, that I know what’s going on.”