Fantasy Spin: Aroldis Chapman traded to Yankees
In many cases, a trade in professional sports provides clarity, definition, a period.
Monday’s trade of Aroldis Chapman to the Yankees opens more questions than it answered. Consider it an ellipses.
The Reds didn’t seem to want Chapman around for the 2016 season, for two key reasons. First and foremost, he has a domestic violence incident hanging over his head, something that could lead to a sizable suspension for the upcoming season. Chapman is also a free agent after the 2016 season, and the rebuilding Reds aren’t in the position to pony up for a closer. That’s the last thing a mediocre team needs, a ninth-inning wipeout reliever.
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There aren't any questions about Chapman the pitcher. He has a career 2.17 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 319 innings, with a silly 15.4 K/9 rate. He registers 3.52 strikeouts for every walk. If you like to see the radar gun pop over 100 mph, Chapman is your guy. He's recorded 145 saves over the last four years.
While Chapman presumably heads to the Yankees as their closer — and he’s been clear in the past, he doesn’t want to be yanked from the ninth inning — he’s headed to one of the deepest bullpens in the majors. Left-hander Andrew Miller racked up 36 saves last year with a 2.04 ERA and 0.86 WHIP, striking out 100 men in 61.2 innings. Right-handed flamethrower Dellin Betances picked up nine saves of his own, along with a 1.50 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 131 punchouts in 84 innings.
Perhaps the Yankees can talk Miller out of the ninth inning — when they signed him a year ago, Miller made it clear he’d fill whatever role the club wanted. Or perhaps the Yankees will look at Miller as expendable now that Chapman is in place. The trade market wasn’t rich for Chapman given the baggage over his head. Miller would be an easier sell to most clubs.
The Yankees were able to land Chapman without denting their farm system. Although the Reds grabbed four prospects in Monday’s deal, none of them were considered in the Top 5 of the organization. Rookie Davis, 22, is the best of the lot, a pitcher who made it to Double-A last year. Third baseman Eric Jagielo, a former first-round pick coming off an injury-riddled season, is also part of the deal, along with reliever Caleb Cotham and second baseman Tony Renda.
The Reds don’t have to pick a new closer anytime soon, but J.J. Hoover might be the leader in the clubhouse. His 2.94 ERA and 1.17 WHIP from last year look passable on paper, but he only struck out 7.3 batters per nine innings — mediocre for a reliever, let alone a ninth-inning guy — and his K/BB rate was a modest 1.7. This could turn into an open audition during spring training.
