The four-team All-Star was sent to Chicago in exchange for Gleybar Torres a prized prospect at shortstop, Adam Warren a right-hander and Billy McKinney an outfielder. He is 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves this season, and his arrival in Chicago not only pushes Hector Rondon to a set-up role but also signals a World Series or bust mentality on the North Side.
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Major League Baseball suspended Chapman for 30 games to start this season for violation of the sport’s domestic violence policy, stemming from an October 30, 2015 incident at Chapman’s home. Although he spent most of his seven-year career with the Cincinnati Reds, the Yankees traded for him in the offseason and now are looking to offload salaries and players.
The 28-year-old Chapman went 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in 31 games for NY. Ranked the fifth-best prospect in the Cubs’ farm system, according to MLBPipeline.com, he has posted a.252/.355/.322 slash line over 349 plate appearances, along with one home run, 12 doubles, three triples and 31 runs batted in, in 88 games played with the club’s Double-A affiliate at Tennessee. Chapman has the potential to be the missing piece that the Cubs had to find in order to win a World Series. Yes, he is a nice luxury to have, but as I pointed out when the deal was made, it was going to be almost impossible to improve on the performance of the back end of the 2015 bullpen, when sans Chapman the Yankees’ record when leading after six innings was 66-3, when leading after seven, 73-2, and after eight, 81-0.
NY had won six of eight heading into Monday night’s game at Houston, but it still faces long odds of getting to the playoffs.
Rumors have been swirling all weekend that Chapman was close to being traded, and multiple reports are now saying that he has been dealt to the Chicago Cubs.
And if presented a chance this winter, Chapman could see himself rejoining the Yankees as a free agent.
The trade reunites Warren with Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild.
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.
“We’re disappointed we swung and missed in our efforts to sign him as an worldwide free agent back in the 2013 class, but certainly you keep your eyes on players you’ve liked in the past and he was definitely a target for us”, Cashman said.
McKinney, 21, was acquired in the five-player trade with the Oakland Athletics two years ago.
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Now that the Yankees have dealt Chapman will they also deal Miller and have Dellin Betances become the closer?
