The nasty pitch that could help Chapman evolve

“I’m not 25 anymore,” Chapman said. “I’m older. I’m not throwing 105 miles per hour every day. That’s the reality.”

Hold on a second: That’s actually something Chapman said nearly six years ago, as relayed to The Athletic at the onset of Spring Training in February 2021. Chapman -- at the time entering his age-33 season -- worked alongside Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake to bring back his splitter, a pitch he had not thrown since defecting from Cuba. He told The Athletic that he wanted to evolve into a pitcher, not a thrower.

Chapman has mostly lived up to his word. He has deployed his splitter pretty consistently in the six seasons since.

But could the splitter become an even bigger weapon…