Aroldis Chapman expecting boos in latest Yankees return

For now, Aroldis Chapman is with the Red Sox, pitching at nearly peak form after several mediocre seasons that began in his latter stages with the Yankees.

The left-hander could end up being a coveted trade candidate, especially if Boston remains on the outside of the playoff race.

Before that happens, though, Chapman has a chance to close games in the heated Yankees-Red Sox rivalry for the first time — and he said Friday he has a pretty good idea of what to expect from the Stadium crowd this weekend.

“I think they’re going to boo me,’’ Chapman said through an interpreter before the Yankees defeated the Red Sox, 9-6, in Friday’s series opener in The Bronx.

Aroldis Chapman throws a pitch during the Red Sox’s June 3 game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Asked if that would bother him, the ex-Yankee closer laughed and said, “No, it’s not the first time that it would happen.”

That’s certainly true, as Chapman had a very rocky tenure with the Yankees that included parts of seven seasons.

It ended in particularly ugly fashion as Chapman missed a month late in the regular season when he got a leg tattoo in mid-August and it got infected.

Aroldis Chapman walks off the field during the Yankees’ game against the Rays in August 2022. Charles Wenzelberg

He returned in September, but was left off the ALDS roster when he skipped a team workout prior to the start of the series.

“There were a lot of ups and downs,’’ Chapman said. “I try to think about the good moments I spent here.”

The positives included three All-Star appearances, but the lows were more memorable — including Jose Altuve’s walk-off homer in Game 6 to clinch the ALCS in 2019 and Mike Brousseau’s go-ahead homer in the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 5 of the 2020 ALDS that helped seal the series for the Rays.

Carlos Narváez and Aroldis Chapman react after the Red Sox defeated the White Sox on April 13. Getty Images

Chapman went on to sign with the Royals that offseason and was traded to the Rangers in the middle of the year, where he went on to help Texas win a World Series title.

After spending last year with the Pirates, Chapman, 37, signed a one-year, $10.75 million deal with Boston.

He entered Friday with a 0.960 WHIP in 25 innings over 27 appearances.

Chapman can still hit triple digits.

Chapman’s fastball velocity is also a bit higher than it was a year ago, an improvement he called “nothing special. I just keep working hard and want to help my team win and get back into the playoffs.”

There are plenty of contenders who will be looking for bullpen help in the next month or so and Chapman could again factor in those conversations.