Aaron Boone and Aroldis Chapman chalked up Saturday’s disastrous outing as just an off day, but Brian Cashman pointed to the fact the star closer entered the game in a non-save situation.
The Yankees GM, in an interview on Sunday with WFAN’s “Boomer and Gio,” said the Yankees closer “needs that tightrope to be really locked in,” citing Chapman’s days back with the Reds.
“It’s not an excuse. It’s more of a fact,” Cashman said. “Booney had to do what he did because it had been such a long layoff.”
Chapman threw just three strikes in 19 pitches in his first appearance in seven days and nearly blew the game, allowing three Mets earned runs on three walks, a hit batter and base hit.
“I just think mentally, he needs that situation to be what we typically see,” Cashman added. “We did not see what we’re used to seeing. We’re right now checking that off as that’s Chappy in those circumstances. It’s the layoff and not a save situation.”
Boone, meanwhile, would not go as far as Cashman when addressing Chapman’s outing again.
“Tough to say,” said Boone, speaking with the media before Sunday’s game was postponed due to rain. “You end up speculating or guessing that’s the case. I don’t know if it was so much that yesterday. … I chalked it up more, frankly, to a bad day. He wasn’t on his game and lost his command a little bit and maybe less, in my opinion, about the situation.”
CASH FAN OF FAMILIA DEAL
While many Mets fans were irked over the return in the Jeurys Familia trade to the A’s, Cashman believes there is reason for optimism.
Cashman said on the radio show not to overlook the international signing money aspect in the deal, especially with Omar Minaya at the helm.
“If I was Joe Met Fan, I wouldn’t be upset with international slot acquisition money because that’s right up Omar Minaya’s wheelhouse,” Cashman said. “Omar knows Latin America extremely well. He’s had a history from when he was with the Mets and when he was with the Rangers, and everybody knows the players that he’s as wired as anybody in that arena.”
Familia pitched two shutout innings en route to a win over the Giants in his A’s debut.
GLEY PLAYS
Gleyber Torres began his rehab assignment with High-A Tampa on Saturday and went 1-for-3 with a single and a walk and played seven innings at second base. He is expected to return to the Yankees on Wednesday against the Rays in Tampa.
“I watched a couple at bats and he looked good,” Boone said. “Looked like he was getting out of the box well. Hopefully it’s a big step along the way and get him back in Tampa.”
DOMINGO DOWN, GALLEGOS UP
The Yankees recalled reliever Giovanny Gallegos on Sunday to correspond with optioning Domingo Acevedo back to Double-A Trenton following Saturday’s game.
