With the trade deadline set for August 3, rumors are running rampant around MLB. Especially when it comes to Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman. With the club in last place in the AL East, trading Chapman away could be on the table for the front office.
Two of the several organizations rumored to be interested in the 38-year-old left-hander include the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Feinsand named them, along with the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox, as potential suitors for Chapman.
“The left-hander is the type of reliever contenders salivate over each July, though Chapman’s strong preference to pitch the ninth means an acquiring team would have to want him in the closer’s role rather than making him a setup man alongside an established closer,” Feinsand wrote. “Potential suitors: Dodgers, Mariners, Phillies, White Sox.”
As Feinsand points out, Aroldis Chapman prefers to strictly play as a closer. That means if the Dodgers or Phillies, or any organization interested in the 17-year veteran, they will likely have to accommodate and ensure he only pitches in the ninth inning.
Chapman is having another stellar campaign and would be a huge get for a contending team. Through 21.2 innings pitched this season, the eight-time All-Star owns a 2.08 ERA and 1.154 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and 14 saves. However, his ERA is a bit misleading, as he recently owned a 0.83 ERA before Aroldis Chapman recorded his first blown save this season in Monday’s 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Rumors will continue to float around Chapman’s name. Considering the Red Sox haven’t looked like they are going to turn things around anytime soon, a trade might be what is in the best interest of the organization.
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