Aroldis Chapman: Three most likely landing spots
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The Cincinnati Reds reportedly could trade All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman by the end of the weekend, and multiple teams could be in the market for his services. Chapman has one year left on his contract, making him a luxury for a rebuilding Reds team that has its sites set on 2017 and beyond. But Walt Jockey reportedly has a high price tag on his closer, which could thin the list of potential suitors.
That being said, Chapman could have a new home as soon as Saturday or Sunday. So where might he go?
Next: No. 3: Washington Nationals
Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
3. Washington Nationals
The Nationals have already watched Matt Thornton, Casey Janssen and Doug Fister leave their bullpen via free agency, and could see one or both of Jonathan Papelbon and Drew Storen leave via trade as well in the coming weeks or months. Bryce Harper has reportedly made amends with Papelbon after the two had a late-season scuffle in the dugout, but it took less than half a season for the seven-time All-Star to establish himself as a clubhouse cancer in Washington. Storen, meanwhile, saw his great season as the closer come to a sudden stop after he was replaced by Papelbon, as the Stanford product was unable to adjust to an undefined role.
With so many arms potentially gone, it could be a completely revamped Nationals bullpen next season, and what better place for Mike Rizzo to start rebuilding his relief corps than Chapman? Washington was connected to Chapman for most of the first half of the 2015 season, and they also were connected to Craig Kimbrel, so “thinking big” isn’t beyond the Nationals. They have the prospects to get a deal done, and certainly have a need.
Next: No. 2: Houston Astros
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2. Houston Astros
Luke Gregerson performed well in his first season as a full-time closer with Houston, but despite his success the Astros were still connected to big-time relievers at last year’s trade deadline. They ultimately bolstered their middle relief, trading for Oliver Perez, but the team was connected to both Chapman and Kimbrel among others late in July.
The Astros thinned out their farm system a bit with the trades for Perez, Carlos Gomez and Scott Kazmir this summer, and might be hesitant to ship out more prospect depth to pick up Chapman. But that being said, adding the Reds closer and sliding Gregerson to the eighth-inning role makes Houston that much better.
2015 wasn’t supposed to be the year the Astros made their run, as general manager Jeff Luhnow admitted that his project worked a year ahead of schedule. But 2016 is the year that the full-out Houston rebuild was supposed to start working, and with the Angels, Rangers and Mariners all set to be improved next season, they’ll need reinforcements to repeat and build on their success of 2015 in the American League West.
Next: No. 1: Boston Red Sox
Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
1. Boston Red Sox
Unlike the other two teams on this list, Boston wasn’t a major contender for Chapman’s services at the July deadline this summer. However, with a change in leadership and a sense of urgency to turn the Red Sox around fast, it seems new boss Dave Dombrowski is looking to bolster his bullpen in dramatic fashion. Koji Uehara is already a fixture in the back of the pen, but things get thin beyond that. Adding Chapman gives the Red Sox the back-end one-two punch that has become the popular trend in constructing a bullpen in baseball.
Boston has plenty of prospect depth to deal from, and Dombrowski has shown a willingness to move prospect talent in bulk to improve his major-league club. That gives Boston as big an edge as any if they’re willing to get Chapman at any cost; the question is whether or not the Red Sox will ultimately agree on a fair price for one year of Chapman and potential draft pick compensation. But it seems he’s their’s to lose.