Aroldis Chapman Says He's Willing to Pitch for USA at 2017 WBC

New York Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman said he would be willing to play for the United States in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. 

Chapman told ESPN.com's Marly Rivera that if Team USA manager Jim Leyland were to invite him, he "would love to" wear the U.S. uniform. The left-hander added that he "can close, but I can also go to the bullpen and throw the seventh or the eighth inning, whatever they need."

The 28-year-old Chapman is from Cuba and played for his home country during the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He went 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA and eight strikeouts in 6.1 innings for a Cuban team that was eliminated by Japan in the second round. 

Chapman did become a U.S. citizen in a ceremony on April 29 that he celebrated in an Instagram post:

Team USA may be Chapman's only chance to pitch in the World Baseball Classic. Rivera noted that president of Cuba's National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation Antonio Becali said during a news conference about the country's Olympic team that the organization will "only use athletes who have remained in their native land to represent the island nation in international events."

After spending the first six years of his career with the Cincinnati Reds, Chapman was traded to the Yankees in December. He has yet to pitch in 2016 while serving a 30-game suspension for an alleged domestic violence dispute with his girlfriend. 

The hard-throwing southpaw has racked up 146 career saves with 546 strikeouts and a 2.17 ERA in 319 innings. 

There will be a long list of hard-throwing relievers for Leyland to choose from, with or without Chapman in the mix. Some potential names listed by Rivera include Andrew Miller, Trevor Rosenthal, Wade Davis and Craig Kimbrel. 

Leyland could never get the bullpen figured out in his years managing the Detroit Tigers, but he will have his choice of tremendous options before provisional rosters are announced early next year. 

 

Stats per Baseball-Reference.com.