Aroldis Chapman had issues with PitchCom during loss

New York Yankees relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Yankees' Aroldis Chapman had issues with PitchCom before losing game

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 4/16/22

The New York Yankees lost a tough game to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, and the new PitchCom system may have been partly to blame in their minds.

Closer Aroldis Chapman was trying to preserve a 1-1 tie in the 11th inning of Friday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, and he faced a key 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded and two outs. A walk would end the game, so Chapman had to get this right.

However, Chapman was clearly having issues hearing the PitchCom in his ear. Crowd noise may have interfered with his ability to get the sign.

Chapman is having a REALLY tough time hearing the PitchCom pic.twitter.com/fpFbPfVGjO

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 16, 2022

Chapman wound up missing with a slider and walking in the winning run. He ultimately did not execute his pitch, but he may have been flustered due to the technical difficulties.

PitchCom is a new technology that is meant to prevent sign stealing, which is certainly something the Yankees are sensitive about. All 30 teams have the option to use it, and some have elected to try it early in the season. Clearly, it has some issues to work out. Expect the most glaring ones to be fixed quickly, but not quickly enough to save the Yankees in this game.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: