For Aroldis Chapman, the way his time with the New York Yankees ended in 2022 is a chapter that hasn’t fully closed. The Boston Red Sox closer has just demanded a public apology from Yankees general manager Brian Cashman when addressing trade deadline rumors linking him to a potential reunion in the Bronx.

“What happened, happened… If something like this were to happen, I believe someone from this organization should apologize first,” Chapman told Enrique Rojas of ESPN, per Tyler Milliken.

No other team in the American League knows Chapman’s potential better than the Yankees.

For six-plus seasons (2016-2022), Chapman was their closer. He posted a 2.93 ERA while saving 153 games with a 24-14 record. During his time with the Yankees, the closer also became an All-Star for three seasons in a row. However, his stint in the Bronx ended on a bitter note.

In 2022, Chapman navigated through a difficult season, posting a 4.46 ERA and a 4-4 record. During that time, he also went through health issues, including a leg infection from a tattoo.

The season saw him lose the closer role to Clay Holmes, who eventually left after becoming a free agent. Holmes is now with the Yankees’ crosstown rivals, the New York Mets, under a 3-year, $38 million deal.

However, losing the closer role was not the worst of it.

Cashman did not include Chapman in the playoff roster because he missed a mandatory team practice at Yankee Stadium. While Chapman had defended himself, saying that the team had permitted him to go, the GM alleged insubordination.

Now, with the Yankees’ return on the cards, Chapman has made his demands clear.

When asked if the person he needed an apology from is Cashman, the reliever said yes.

However, for Chapman’s Yankees return, the Boston Red Sox would have to put the reliever on the trade market first.

With every game the Red Sox lose, the chances of the team becoming a seller at the August 3 trade deadline become higher. As Chapman will become a free agent by the end of this season, he would most likely be their trade chip. With the dominant Cuban reliever (0.46 ERA in 2026), the Red Sox can rule the relief pitching market, gaining potential top prospects to secure the Red Sox’s future.

However, whether the Red Sox would actually trade Chapman to their division rivals, the Yankees, remains doubtful.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox president, Sam Kennedy, has given an honest assessment of whether the team will sell.

Beyond Chapman: Sam Kennedy opens up about Boston’s trade deadline plans

The Boston Red Sox are on a four-game losing streak, as they remain at the bottom of the AL East. With a 27-39 record, they are 12 games behind .500. As their postseason hopes fade (6 games behind the AL Wild Card spot), Sam Kennedy spoke about their plans for the trade deadline.

On The Greg Hill Show of WEEI, the president of the Red Sox revealed that the team is exploring every option for a comeback before the August 3 trade deadline.

However, Kennedy also admitted, “Let’s be honest, unless things change dramatically, we may have to pivot here from what our initial planning was. It just wouldn’t be responsible to do otherwise. But here in mid-June, we need to see what happens over the next couple of weeks, and then we’ll reassess.”

The Red Sox are fresh out of a series loss against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays swept them for the first time since April 2023.

Every loss makes their chances of reaching the postseason more unlikely. Kennedy has admitted that the Red Sox are in a tough place and they would need to pull off a comeback, not become a seller in August. But he has also spoken about being realistic with the situation at hand.

The Red Sox have until mid-July to assess and arrive at a conclusion about their season. They next play against the Texas Rangers on Friday.