Aroldis Chapman Needs to Learn to Trust His Fastball Again After d'Arnaud Disaster

It might just be time to add Travis d'Arnaud to the pantheon of Yankees killers.

The Tampa Bay catcher clobbered three home runs Monday night for the Rays, none of which were more important than his three-run, two-out, AND two-strike opposite field shot in the ninth inning to capture a 5-4 win at the Stadium.

However, we didn't have to reach this point. The Pinstripes could have walked away with a convincing dub over the second-place Rays after some late heroics. It all came down to one confusing dynamic that we are having difficulty fathoming: Aroldis Chapman failing to trust his fastball.

What did you notice about that 3-2 pitch? It was a slider. Care to guess what the All-Star closer threw when the count was 1-2? Two straight sliders, which d'Arnaud spat on. He had 'em convincingly read. Why not one more?

Why on earth wouldn't Chapman unleash his world-beating, bedazzling fastball? Instead of peppering d'Arnaud with inside, 100 MPH heaters, he allowed the former Mets castaway to extend his wrists and guide an outside slider over the short porch in right field, something he'd already done twice in this game.

Chapman is experienced and brilliant enough to understand that he should always let hitters beat him with his best pitch, especially if an opponent has the slider entirely mapped out. If Travis sent a 101 MPH high-and-tight heater into the bleachers, then tip your cap to the lad. In a potential game-ending scenario like this, Chapman simply needs to go inside at least once.

Chapman's slider, while improving every year, isn't always sufficient. Yankee fans will be the first to tell you that. Its effectiveness is, in many ways, the product of his fastball's sovereignty and hopefully Aaron Boone and Co. are conveying a similarly themed message to the 31-year-old star.