Aroldis Chapman's recent Red Sox highlights prove he hated the Yankees all along

Ever wonder why erratic New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was particularly noxious at Fenway Park? Well, wonder no more! Because the start to his Boston Red Sox career has confirmed what "ailed" him during his later years with the Yankees.

If you thought Clay Holmes made it obvious within one pitch whether he "had it" or not, he didn't hold a candle to the good, ol' fashion Chapman signifier. Typically, Chapman's first pitch was either a dotted fastball or an unholy offering yanked so far in the wrong direction that you knew he'd either walk the world or overcompensate his uncoiling and start firing heaters middle-middle.

Watching Chapman during his early Yankee years was a nailbiting chore sometimes, but at the very least, you always knew he had the gas in him. Eventually, his historic fastball began to settle closer to 97-98 than where it needed to be to overcome his various weaknesses and inaccuracies. Remember when he invented a splitter, was untouchable for a few weeks, then regressed to being a version of himself that was worse than ever before? Good times.

Chapman's Yankees career officially ended with an infected tattoo prior to the 2022 playoffs, followed by a temper tantrum and a flight home. But perhaps it truly ended the moment it started. Chapman saved his worst with the Yankees for Fenway Park, a ballyard he just could not find command over. In 18 games at the Fens, he posted a 5.71 ERA and only secured six saves. Six saves. 18 appearances. As the closer, that's a tough one to justify.

Add in the Rafael Devers home run in the Bronx that made the Yankees' tormentor famous, and it's clear Chapman was rarely at his best when opposing the Red Sox. When Chapman signed in Boston this offseason, Royals catcher Salvador Perez gave us a clue as to why with his social media behavior, commenting on Chapman's introductory post, "Your dream came true, brother" and calling Boston Chapman's "favorite team".

And what do you know? He's now dotting 102 instead of 97 in his new uniform, sporting a 0.00 ERA in five games (with two wins recorded). Not coincidental. Purposeful.

Former New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was clearly saving his best for his favorite team, the Boston Red Sox

There's still plenty of time for this to unravel. Chapman should get worse. The Law of Averages, mixed with the Law of Chapman, says this can't last forever, let alone into the second half.

And yet ... that's what we said when the Texas Rangers acquired him and tried to ride him through October, and they won the damned World Series.

Bottom line? Chapman seems super-powered again, and it's come in the uniform of the team that Perez revealed has always been his "favorite". The uniform of the team that was supposedly his rival for the better part of a decade ... but man, he can't stay mad at them. That reemergence certainly does not feel like an accident. And it makes his entire Yankees career fail to pass the smell test.