Yankees: Aroldis Chapman cleared to return after second negative test

The New York Yankees are getting Aroldis Chapman back.

Remember when Aroldis Chapman tested positive for coronavirus? It was a rare blow to the Yankees, and the devastating type of news we weren’t equipped to handle quite yet.

Now, we’re living in a different MLB landscape.

The entire season feels on the verge of cancellation, 18 Marlins are being bussed back to Miami after testing positive for the virus, and about 1/3 of the game’s teams have watched their games and scheduling be affected by its nefarious spread.

Of course, the Yankees have a mysterious worry of their own — Tommy Kahnle, scratched from Thursday night’s game for unknown and cryptic reasons, apparently hasn’t tested positive for the virus, per SNY’s Andy Martino.

Regardless of what we learn about Kahnle on Friday, the Yankees bullpen is likely to have a hole that can’t be filled by three innings of Jonathan Loaisiga at a time. Therefore, New York is thrilled to welcome back Aroldis Chapman to whatever portion of the 2020 season remains, as he’s now received his second negative test.

While waiting to reenter the team facilities, Chapman has largely passed his time lifting monstrous weights in front of his gorgeous Manhattan view, staying impressively jacked for his return.

There’s no way to know how much runway Chapman needs to prepare for 2020 (after all, he barely worked out at Summer Camp before he was felled), but that process begins in earnest now.

Chapman will likely be installed as the team’s closer as soon as he is able to contribute in that fashion, but Zack Britton shone Thursday in Baltimore, and is more than capable of doing so for as long as he must.

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Deny it all you want, though, but the Yankees bullpen is deeper when Aroldis Chapman arrives. Finally, that day is around the corner. Hopefully, he’s as locked in as DJ LeMahieu was upon his reentry to the proceedings.