Aroldis Chapman Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation Surrounding Reds Star
Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman has been linked to multiple teams as the trade deadline approaches, however the market for Chapman is reportedly dwindling.
Continue for updates.
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D-Backs' Chances Wane for Chapman
Friday, July 31
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Diamondbacks have fallen back in the race for Chapman, as the Reds have gotten better offers
On July 30, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the Diamondbacks' interest in Chapman includes extending him past the 2016 season when a new television deal will kick in for the team, allowing the franchise a chance to spend more money.
On July 28, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported the Arizona Diamondbacks were interested in Chapman, adding there "may be something there" when discussing the possibility of a trade.
Yankees Among Teams Chasing Chapman
Friday, July 31
Nightengale reported the Yankees were "aggressively pursuing" Chapman but were one of five teams in the hunt for the fireballing closer.
San Francisco Giants Register Interest in Chapman
Monday, July 27
Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi reported on America's Pregame that the San Francisco Giants are weighing up a trade for the Reds closer. The Giants have yet to make any formal offer to Cincinnati.
Although Santiago Casilla hasn't been a disaster at closer for San Francisco, you can understand why the front office would consider adding Chapman. Casilla has 26 saves and a 2.97 ERA, but his 3.95 FIP is a stronger indicator as to his actual performance, per Baseball-Reference.com. The 35-year-old is also averaging four walks per nine innings.
Granted, Chapman's control can be an issue (5.0 BB/9) as well, but he's one of the most electric closers in baseball. His 16 strikeouts per nine innings are tops among all relievers, per FanGraphs, while he leads the league in average pitch speed (100.1 mph), per MLB.com.
Throw Chapman into San Francisco's bullpen, and an already strong group becomes downright filthy.
The only question is whether the Giants would be willing to meet the Reds' asking price. Before the season, Baseball America rated San Francisco's minor league system 27th in MLB. The Giants can't afford to lose one or two key prospects, which could scuttle any potential Chapman trade.
