Gary Sánchez, Aroldis Chapman collide for game-altering moment Yankees fans will love

Former Yankee on Former Yankee crime! Sound the alarm, Yankees fans! This is a must-watch for everyone who's been dialed into the Bombers since 2016. Now on new teams after the last couple seasons, two former polarizing players crossed paths on Thursday afternoon.

It was the top of the eighth inning. Aroldis Chapman on the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gary Sánchez stepped into the batter's box for the Milwaukee Brewers. The game-tying run was on second base.

Chapman got ahead of his former slugging teammate 0-2. For a second there, it looked all too familiar. Here comes an uncompetitive Sánchez strikeout in a big spot. Or, even worse ... here comes a dominant Chapman strikeout pumping triple digits. Yankees fans really hate seeing that now.

The result? A triple-digit fastball way out of the zone that Sánchez took a stab at and sent 371 feet into the right field seats. The oppo bomb to give the Brew Crew the lead would represent the game-winning home run in a 7-5 victory to salvage a series split with Pittsburgh.

El Gary timing that slow leg kick and taking it the other way! A thing of beauty. For as much as Yankees fans grew furious with the former catcher, they sure did adore him when he was playing to his abilities. Unlike Chapman, he was once upon a fan favorite.

Gary Sánchez, Aroldis Chapman collide for game-altering moment Yankees fans will love

As for Chappy? Another meltdown for him in 2024, which will never be enough payback for departing after the 2022 season dishonorably and then somehow being gifted with a World Series in 2023 when he was eventually traded to the Texas Rangers.

We need more. His now-worse 5.14 ERA and 1.71 WHIP heading into Thursday wasn't enough. Keep the hits coming.

Sánchez enjoyed himself a nice road trip, though, and got hot just in time for the Yankees, who are coming to town this weekend.

Sánchez nearly kick-started a comeback on Tuesday when he led off the eighth inning with a solo homer to cut the Pirates' lead in half. The Brewers couldn't finish the job, though.

Enjoy these feel-good moments right now, Yankees fans, because when Sánchez inevitably burns the Bombers in epic fashion this weekend, your joy will turn to ire, and all the bad feelings you once felt about the once-promising catcher will boil to the surface and engulf you.