Aroldis Chapman Details 'Scary' Infection From Recent Tattoo

OAKLAND — Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman has gotten tattoos during the season countless times in his MLB career, so when he decided to add to his collection last week, he thought nothing of it.

Little did Chapman know, the portrait of his sister that he had tattooed onto his left calf would result in his second stint on the injured list in 2022, his latest bout with adversity in a season to forget.

Chapman was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with an infected wound from his recent tattoo. The Yankees elected not to make a corresponding roster move on Saturday night, playing with a short bullpen, but filled Chapman's spot on the active roster the next day, signing veteran reliever Anthony Banda.

Following New York's 4-1 loss later that afternoon, splitting the series with Oakland, Chapman was seated at his locker, lounging while his teammates chowed down on their postgame meal in the visitor's clubhouse. Speaking for the first time about his infection, Chapman said that he's feeling better, finally turning a corner after a "scary" few days.

"I have many tattoos and I've never gone through something like that," he said through New York's interpreter. "I remember chatting with the doctor and he basically told me there's an infection right now going on. I had a fever, but I feel much better now."

Aroldis Chapman shares his disappointment in not being able to play and updates us on how his tattoo infection is feeling as he awaits his return. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/WOausGNgVU
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 29, 2022

Chapman revealed that he got the tattoo last weekend, during New York's homestand before this 10-game roadtrip. Yankees manager Aaron Boone had explained previously that Chapman was available to pitch up until the series opener in Oakland on Thursday. That's when the infection began. Chapman wound up camping out at the team hotel until the finale of this four-game set.

Tattoo aside, this season has been a down year for Chapman ever since the conclusion of his 10.1-inning scoreless streak to begin the campaign. Since that point, the southpaw has posted a 7.08 ERA in 24 games, missing a month along the way with left Achilles tendinitis.

Asked how confident he is that he can return from this infection and finish the year on a high note—before entering free agency this offseason—Chapman assured that he'll be able to get back on the mound soon for a bullpen, making sure he's ready to get back into games when his time on the IL is up.

"I don't think this is gonna take away too much time for me," he said. "I'm just waiting for the next couple of days for everything to heal correctly so I can start doing all kinds of baseball activities."

With his IL stint retroactive to Wednesday, the earliest Chapman can return from the injured list is late in New York's first homestand in September, a stretch where the Yankees host the Twins and Rays in the Bronx.

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