Aroldis Chapman has been dealt by the New York Yankees to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a package of players.
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Chapman, 28, fills an immediate need in the Cubs’ bullpen, as the team lacks a true left-handed, late-inning reliever with his kind of experience.
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 made a decision to deal him. He missed the season’s first 30 games after he was the first player to be suspended by Major League Baseball for the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Sexual Assault policy.
The 28-year-old Chapman went 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in 31 games for NY. According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Yankees have been “pushing” the 29-year-old in trade talks throughout the past few weeks. The Yankees will also receive outfielder Rashad Crawford to round out the whole transaction.
Torres was the top prospect in the Cubs minor league system, and was playing with the Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
The Washington Nationals and Cleveland Indians also were believed to be interested in Chapman, who wasn’t saying much about his immediate future.
This is quite a haul for the Yankees with Chapman making it clear that he wants to test the free agent waters after the season. “I feel like part of the family here”.
The Cubs have made a blockbuster move in their pursuit of a championship this season. Chapman acknowledged shooting the gun but said he never hurt anyone. The news comes after a mountain of rumors over the weekend that the NY was getting close to dealing the Cuban lefty, with the Dodgers mentioned as one of the teams that had pursued a Chapman trade. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman reported that the trade, if completed, would involve Torres and minor-league righthander Adam Warren.
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Trading that kind of young talent certainly puts pressure on Chapman to perform at a high level. The Dodgers had a deal in place last winter to acquire Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds, but they backed off after learning that Chapman was the subject of a domestic violence investigation. None of the other four players – relief pitcher Caleb Cotham and infielders Eric Jagielo and Tony Renda – were among the Yankees’ top 10 prospects when they were traded, although Jagielo is a former first-round pick.
