During the tail end of the winter meetings, the New York Yankees and Aroldis Chapman agreed on a five year, $86 million deal. The 28 year old will receive a full no-trade clause through the first three seasons, as well as an opt-out after the third season. Additionally, since he was traded during the 2016 season, Chapman was unable to receive a qualifying offer as per CBA rules, and will not cost the Yankees a draft pick.
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| Chapman will be the highest paid reliever in MLB history |
Chapman, who spent the first half of 2016 in the Bronx, was the top reliever on the market this winter. Back in July, we speculated a potential return to the Yankees right here on Empire Sport Zone. In today's article, we will be taking a closer look at the Chapman signing, offering insight on it's future implications on the Yankees organizational plans.
Chapman was recently seeking a six year deal but settled on a five-year pact. His $86 million contract will represent the most money ever given to a relief pitcher, surpassing Mark Melancon's four year, $62 million pact with the San Francisco Giants from a week ago. Despite this, the large figure is not surprising at all given his incredible talent and league-wide interest.
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| The Cubs received large contributions for Chapman |
Generally known as the most dominant relief pitcher in today's game, Chapman started the 2016 campaign with the Yankees after coming over in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. The Yankees, amidst a mediocre season, kickstarted their rebuilding effort in July when they shipped Chapman to the Chicago Cubs for a package of prospects. In the Windy City, the Cuban hurler posted a 1.01 ERA in 28 relief outings, and helped the team win it's first World Series title in over 100 years.
After the Cubs acquired All-Star closer Wade Davis from the Kansas City Royals, Chapman's return to Chicago was unlikely. He was heavily pursued by a variety of teams, including the Marlins, Nationals, Dodgers, and the Yankees. Miami had reportedly made a higher offer to the seven-year veteran, but he rejected it.
Chapman will return to a Yankees closer position that he held for a small portion of last season. The move will bump incumbent-closer Dellin Betances back to a setup role, a position that he seemed more comfortable in.
Aside from the obvious impact that Chapman brings to the table, here are a few observations that we have formed based on the signing:
1: The Yankees do not anticipate a long rebuild
- Even though Chapman averages just 67 innings pitched per season, his presence signifies that New York does not plan on committing to a full rebuild. Therefore, the front office must truly believe that they are close to fielding a competitive team, and that their youngsters are just about ready to make the transition to the big league level.
We could still see some moves involving veterans such as Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Chase Headley, among others, but it is apparent that the Yankees would like to return to a championship-caliber team sooner rather than later.
2. Brian Cashman did VERY well in both Chapman trades
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| Torres (pictured) was acquired from Chicago in July |
- Think about it, not only did GM Brian Cashman acquire Aroldis Chapman for next-to-nothing in the Reds deal, but he managed to flip him to a desperate Cubs organization for, arguably, their best prospect and others.
Gleyber Torres, a 19 year old from Venezuela, figures to be part of the Yankees long-term future in a year or two. Even with rising star Didi Gregorius and proven asset Starlin Castro manning the middle infield, Torres will be a valuable piece for New York going forward.
Considering that the Yankees were likely not going to win much more with Chapman last year, the move made total sense at the time and looks even better right now. New York, even without Andrew Miller, are following the 2014-2015 Royals model for success with their strong bullpen. Their goal now should be to address the weak starting rotation, as well as attempting to off-load other veteran players with large contracts.
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