Los Angeles Dodgers look to acquire closer Aroldis Chapman from Cincinnati
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to acquire star closer Aroldis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds on Monday morning, kicking off a Winter Meetings expected to be heavy in trades, free agent signings and general team reshaping.
The deal for Chapman, first reported by Fox Sports and confirmed by a source to Yahoo Sports, is pending a review of medicals. The Dodgers will send the Reds two prospects, according to the Fox report, in exchange for a year of Chapman, the 100-mph-throwing left-hander who is a free agent after the 2016 season.
After losing ace Zack Greinke to the Arizona Diamondbacks last week, the Dodgers struck late Sunday, agreeing to a three-year deal with free agent starter Hisashi Iwakuma and following with Chapman, whom they’re expected to pair with incumbent closer Kenley Jansen to provide the most devastating relief duo in the game.
Chapman, 27, has struck out 546 hitters in 319 innings during the first six seasons of his career and sports a 2.17 career ERA. If not considered the best closer in the game, he’s surely among the top three, and the Dodgers for now are banking on him to assume the ninth-inning role and Jansen to slide to the eighth after dominating in the closing role for the past four seasons.
The Reds, meanwhile, are expected to continue their strip-down after finishing last in the National League Central. Among the players they could trade here: outfielder Jay Bruce, second baseman Brandon Phillips and perhaps even All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier.
