MLB Rumors: Aroldis Chapman Trade Scenarios Revealed by Royals Ahead of Deadline

Aroldis Chapman revived his career in a few short months in Kansas City, and now the Royals are looking to take advantage of the turnaround ahead of the August 1 MLB trade deadline.

Levi Weaver and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the Royals are giving teams interested in trading for Chapman the option of trading a high-caliber prospect for the flamethrower or potentially taking on unwanted salary as part of a deal.

Catcher Salvador Perez and reliever Scott Barlow were mentioned as potential players who could be packaged with Chapman.

A seven-time All-Star, Chapman signed a one-year, $3.8 million contract with the Royals this winter after an ugly end to his stint with the New York Yankees. He's been largely stellar since his arrival, compiling a 1-2 record with a 2.95 ERA and 1.36 WHIP while striking out 35 batters in 21.1 innings pitched.

While he's not pitching at the level of his Cincinnati apex—Chapman is still walking too many batters—he's seen his velocity increase across the board after a miserable 2022 season. The Yankees left Chapman off their postseason roster amid his struggles last October, and now it appears he'll be a key acquisition for a team looking to make its own playoff run this year.

Chapman's average exit velocity on batted balls and barrel percentage have also seen massive dips in 2023, a sign his stuff has rounded back into form—if not his control. His 15.3 walk percentage ranks in the bottom-three percentile in baseball, but nearly every other metric would peg him among the best relievers in the sport.

It's unlikely the Royals will ask for a truly top-flight prospect in trade talks, so the risk will be minimal, but Chapman's control issues are worth noting as the pressure ramps up late in the season.