Asked if the Cubs spoke with Chapman’s girlfriend or someone close to her, Epstein said they “took efforts” to make sure they looked at the issue from every possible side. Chicago shipped out Adam Warren, Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford to NY in the deal.
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They received a heralded prospect for the future and a key pitcher from their recent past.
“This isn’t a white flag”, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said.
Many fans are showing concern about the fact that Chapman has two months remaining on his contract.
News of the trade started to circulate late Sunday when Torres was scratched from his minor-league start.
In 94 games for Myrtle Beach this year, Torres is batting.275 with a.359 on-base percentage, a.433 slugging percentage, nine homers and 47 RBIs.
Nova, 29, has won seven games and has posted a 4.65 ERA with 72 strikeouts over 93 innings with the Yankees this season.
Warren, 28, is returning to the Yankees, with whom he began his major league career before being traded to the Cubs during the offseason for Starlin Castro.
Outfielders Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford are well regarded prospects, though McKinney has scuffled a bit in Double-A this season.
Warren is expected to join the Yankees in Houston.
It was reported by Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckeball that the Cubs would pick up the closer by sending a handful of players to the Yankees.
“As you know, earlier this year I accepted and served a 30-game suspension from Major League Baseball resulting from my actions of October 30, 2015”. Warren, who has struggled in Chicago this season, will most likely replace Chapman in the bullpen and become the seventh-inning man, ahead of Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller. They traded Chapman for a discounted package as he was facing a domestic-violence investigation.
“It’s a very volatile time”, Cashman said.
The New York Yankees may still be in the playoff race, but they’re acquiring one of the better prospects in baseball, along with three other players, in exchange for one of baseball’s top closers.
NY had won six of eight games heading into Monday night’s game at Houston, but still faces long odds of getting to the playoffs.
The Yankees with this trade are all but declaring themselves out of the race for the postseason.
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The Yankees reportedly tried to reach an agreement on a contract extension with Chapman but after he and his representatives said they wanted to test the free-agent market after the season they chose to deal him.
