Aroldis Chapman's introduction to the Chicago media did not go well, and the Cubs are now trying to make it right.
The team is in the process of hiring a new translator for the closer after Chapman himself requested one, according to Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago.
Chapman told reporters he was "sleepy and tired" during a conversation with president Theo Epstein, owner Tom Ricketts, and general manager Jed Hoyer prior to their acquiring him from the Yankees in which they outlined their off-field expectations for him. His answer left the media and fans perturbed with the left-hander due to perceptions he wasn't taking his domestic violence issue seriously
Epstein later confirmed there was a translation issue. Chapman said the same thing in an exclusive interview with ESPN's Pedro Gomez after his main scrum.
Related: Chapman doesn't recall pre-trade conversation with Cubs execs
Chapman's interpreter at his first press conference with the Cubs was the team's quality assurance coach, Henry Blanco. The former catcher is approved as a translator by Major League Baseball and the Players' Association, who now require every team to employ a Spanish translator.
Because of the incident, Chapman initially refused to speak with the media following his first appearance with the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday; he eventually relented and gave a brief scrum with catcher Miguel Montero interpreting.
The 28-year-old, acquired by the Cubs on Monday for a four-player package, was a controversial acquisition due to a domestic violence incident in October. No charges were filed as a result of the incident, however commissioner Rob Manfred suspended him for 30 games at the start of the 2016 season.