The Pittsburgh Pirates, in somewhat of a surprise move, made a bullpen addition this evening. They have agreed to a deal with Left-hand reliever Aroldis Chapman. The deal is a one-year deal worth 10.5 million dollars guaranteed; the agreement is just pending that the 35-year-old passes his physical.
LHP – Aroldis Chapman
Chapman split last year between the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers; he appeared in 61 games, pitching 58.1 innings between the two teams. He supported a record of 6-5, with six saves, 103 Strikeouts, 3.09 ERA, and a WHIP of 1.251. Chapman showed last year that he might not be the guy he once was in the 9th for teams, but he can still play a vital role in the later innings.
Summary
The Pittsburgh Pirates add another veteran on a 1-year deal; Chapman provides a left-hand arm out of the bullpen. Similar to last year, do not be surprised to see Chapman’s name surfacing before the deadline for teams looking for bullpen help, allowing the Pirates to add to their farm system if they are out of contention at that point. I like this deal for the Pirates; it provides depth to their bullpen but is also a trade chip if the season doesn’t pan out.
