Article: 3 Possible Trade Destinations for Red Sox Closer Aroldis Chapman

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Chapman is not only arguably the Red Sox best player this year at his position, but in the entire major leagues. 

The only closer with a higher WAR than Chappy's 1.9 is Josh Hader at 2.0 -- and anyone who has read the guidelines on bb-ref or fangraphs knows that WAR is an estimate, and players should never be compared to the decimal point.

The Sox shouldn't be shopping him, even if they're not going to the playoffs, but looking to extend him.

But of course Boston should be listening to any serious overpay offers. If someone wants Chapman badly enough to part with young stars or Top 10 prospects, it's worth considering... 

He has that much value right now, which will only increase in the next few weeks...

[Nick]

We should wait. We play at home 3 vs Colorado, then 4 vs the Rays. Then All-Star pause.

Then we travel to Phillies and the Cubs for six games total.  We then come home to face the Dodgers for 3 then off to Minnesota for 3. 

I agree with a poster that this Sox team can beat the best and lose to the worst. It's really not a consistent team. I'm hoping we catch a fire in August and September.

I believe our bullpen is improving. I like the additions of Alcala and Hicks. We should get Justin back by August. Really not impressed with Whitlock and Weissert is fading fast. If we are going to make a run, we definitely need Chapman. It's not always about accumulating talent for future. It immediately sends a bad vibe to the rest of the team if you lose the best closer we've had in a while. 

Let's just see what we do in next 19 games in July. 12-7 makes us a buyer.

I would love to see Bregman return vs the Rays. Play 3rd twice and DH twice.

 

[dgalehouse]

We don't have all that many baseball seasons in our lifetimes.  Any time you have a chance , you should go for it. The future will always be the future. It never gets here. 

[Larry Cook]

I think we only move major league players at the trade deadline, if we get a quality number 2 starter in return!!!  
 

For rentals and JAG’s we trade mediocre prospects!!!!

[Soxlover]

I’m not sure mopping up on bad teams is going to change my mind about being sellers

[Hugh2]

15 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Yes, I'm not sure BTV is much of a reference point for deadline trades of top relief pitchers.  They are a prized commodity at this time of year. 

I use BTV all the time, I love it, but I'll be the first to admit it's highly flawed.  I believe how someone like Chapman would be valued at the deadline is probably about as good of an example as you could ever have of this. 

It's tough, long term horizon having the opportunity to bring in the value that Chapman would command is tempting.  You make enough moves like that and you can complete build a farm system. 

On the other hand, Chapman is the exact type of guy I'd want to trade FOR at the deadline. 

[Bellhorn04]

8 hours ago, Soxlover said:

I’m not sure mopping up on bad teams is going to change my mind about being sellers

But they're 9-3 against the Yankees and Rays.

Beating up on the bad teams is something the Sox have had trouble with.

There's a ton of randomness involved in all of it.

Bottom line is they're 2.5 games out of the playoffs with 71 games to go, and there are some positive trends.  And a guy named Bregman should be back soon. 

[Bellhorn04]

14 hours ago, dgalehouse said:

We don't have all that many baseball seasons in our lifetimes.  Any time you have a chance , you should go for it. The future will always be the future. It never gets here. 

Agree 100%.  Every season matters and as you say, the future never actually gets here.

[Hitch]

51 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

 

On the other hand, Chapman is the exact type of guy I'd want to trade FOR at the deadline. 

If you're a Dodgers/Jays/Tigers, etc. 

Considering the cost involved - it's not what you target a couple of games out of the last wildcard spot and with a very consistently .500 team.  

[Hugh2]

2 minutes ago, Hitch said:

If you're a Dodgers/Jays/Tigers, etc. 

Considering the cost involved - it's not what you target a couple of games out of the last wildcard spot and with a very consistently .500 team.  

I kindly disagree, good relief pitching is at the top of every teams shopping list with playoff ambitions. 

[Hitch]

8 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

But they're 9-3 against the Yankees and Rays.

Beating up on the bad teams is something the Sox have had trouble with.

There's a ton of randomness involved in all of it.

Bottom line is they're 2.5 games out of the playoffs with 71 games to go, and there are some positive trends.  And a guy named Bregman should be back soon. 

They're also 6-17 against the Jays, Tigers, Mariners and Brewers.

This idea we beat the best teams and lose to the worst is a fallacy.

 

[Hitch]

4 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I kindly disagree, good relief pitching is at the top of every teams shopping list with playoff ambitions. 

I agree with this, but the very best on the market? I don't see your Diamondbacks, Marlins, Rangers, etc pushing in the prospects for a Chapman. Chances are, much like us, there is a few places that need fixing before emptying the farm on a rental at closer. 

[mvp 78]

15 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Chapman is not only arguably the Red Sox best player this year at his position, but in the entire major leagues. 

The only closer with a higher WAR than Chappy's 1.9 is Josh Hader at 2.0 -- and anyone who has read the guidelines on bb-ref or fangraphs knows that WAR is an estimate, and players should never be compared to the decimal point.

The Sox shouldn't be shopping him, even if they're not going to the playoffs, but looking to extend him.

But of course Boston should be listening to any serious overpay offers. If someone wants Chapman badly enough to part with young stars or Top 10 prospects, it's worth considering... 

He has that much value right now, which will only increase in the next few weeks...

He's 37, no reason to extend him. They should absolutely trade him to a legitimate contender as late innings guys bring back a lot of value at the deadline. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

10 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He's 37, no reason to extend him. They should absolutely trade him to a legitimate contender as late innings guys bring back a lot of value at the deadline. 

2025 Chapman is the Red Sox' best trade chip at the deadline in their frozen assets era. 

He's better right now than when the Rangers gave up Cole Ragans or the Cubs gave up Gleybar Torres for him.

If Breslow is dealing Chappy, he absolutely cannot afford to miss a big time return -- another Harrison or Hicks as throw-ins won't do it.

Plus, as others have mentioned, a Chapman swap should signal that a Boston firesale is open for business...

[Duran Is The Man]

19 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He's 37, no reason to extend him. They should absolutely trade him to a legitimate contender as late innings guys bring back a lot of value at the deadline. 

so, you're in the "wait til next year camp"? if so, where are you going to find a closer for next year?

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

2025 Chapman is the Red Sox' best trade chip at the deadline in their frozen assets era. 

He's better right now than when the Rangers gave up Cole Ragans or the Cubs gave up Gleybar Torres for him.

If Breslow is dealing Chappy, he absolutely cannot afford to miss a big time return -- another Harrison or Hicks as throw-ins won't do it.

Plus, as others have mentioned, a Chapman swap should signal that a Boston firesale is open for business...

They already dealt Raffy and Priester and didn't seem to bring back legitimate MLB talent for 2025. Sox are clearly open for business.

[mvp 78]

Just now, Duran Is The Man said:

so, you're in the "wait til next year camp"? if so, where are you going to find a closer for next year?

Chapman can be re-signed in the offseason. They can go with Whitlock if they want. Slaten? Sign Kyle Finnegan, Ryan Helsley, Raisel Iglesias, Devin Williams or someone else? 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They already dealt Raffy and Priester and didn't seem to bring back legitimate MLB talent for 2025. Sox are clearly open for business.

Raffy was a salary dump masked as a malcontent. Priester was a desperation move by Milwaukee that brought back minor league depth.

But Chapman should be the most sought-after deadline asset in baseball. He'll have a bigger impact down the stretch and certainly the postseason than Duran. 

If a Chapman trade doesn't bring back legitimate big league talent, the return better include MLB-ready prospects. No one in Boston's front office can wait until 2027 or 2028...

Henry must have noticed Washington cleaning house after just getting swept by the Blah Sox; imagine fandom's reaction if the Rox pull the same trick at Fenway this week... Think that can't happen with Winsome/Loathsome mediocrities?

[mvp 78]

11 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Raffy was a salary dump masked as a malcontent. Priester was a desperation move by Milwaukee that brought back minor league depth.

But Chapman should be the most sought-after deadline asset in baseball. He'll have a bigger impact down the stretch and certainly the postseason than Duran. 

If a Chapman trade doesn't bring back legitimate big league talent, the return better include MLB-ready prospects. No one in Boston's front office can wait until 2027 or 2028...

Henry must have noticed Washington cleaning house after just getting swept by the Blah Sox; imagine fandom's reaction if the Rox pull the same trick at Fenway this week... Think that can't happen with Winsome/Loathsome mediocrities?

The Rockies already fired their manager. I guess they could fire the interim and the GM. 

[Hugh2]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

I agree with this, but the very best on the market? I don't see your Diamondbacks, Marlins, Rangers, etc pushing in the prospects for a Chapman. Chances are, much like us, there is a few places that need fixing before emptying the farm on a rental at closer. 

When I said this is the type of the guy the Sox should be looking for, it didn't necessarily mean the top top of the market.  But I would like to see a bullpen arm of a higher caliber than we have seen at the deadline the last few years. 

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, Hitch said:

They're also 6-17 against the Jays, Tigers, Mariners and Brewers.

This idea we beat the best teams and lose to the worst is a fallacy.

 

It all screams randomness! 

[Bellhorn04]

51 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They already dealt Raffy and Priester and didn't seem to bring back legitimate MLB talent for 2025. Sox are clearly open for business.

Sox are clearly selling?  You're going on record with that?

[notin]

18 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Yes, I'm not sure BTV is much of a reference point for deadline trades of top relief pitchers.  They are a prized commodity at this time of year. 

Is that really true?

Most of the rental relievers traded last year went for fairly nondescript fungible minor leaguers I never heard of.  Carlos Estevez, for example.  The RPs that netted more (e.g. Mark Leiter Jr) had multiple years of control…

[mvp 78]

39 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

When I said this is the type of the guy the Sox should be looking for, it didn't necessarily mean the top top of the market.  But I would like to see a bullpen arm of a higher caliber than we have seen at the deadline the last few years. 

Those are very costly. Not sure it's worth it for this team. 

[mvp 78]

32 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Sox are clearly selling?  You're going on record with that?

They moved their best hitter and a 24 year old who has "started" 16 games (I'm counting the piggy backs as starts) for the Brewers. While they received good value back on both trades, neither trade helped this year. They are clearly open to trading from this year's 40 man roster. How are they not?

[Bellhorn04]

22 minutes ago, notin said:

Is that really true?

Most of the rental relievers traded last year went for fairly nondescript fungible minor leaguers I never heard of.  Carlos Estevez, for example.  The RPs that netted more (e.g. Mark Leiter Jr) had multiple years of control…

An elite closer like Chapman is in a different category.  They don't become available that often.

Chapman has been traded for Gleyber Torres and Cole Ragans.

  

[Bellhorn04]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They moved their best hitter and a 24 year old who has "started" 16 games (I'm counting the piggy backs as starts) for the Brewers. While they received good value back on both trades, neither trade helped this year. They are clearly open to trading from this year's 40 man roster. How are they not?

The Devers trade was just plain unusual and everyone has their opinion on why they did it.

You and others thought the Priester trade was jumping on an opportunity to get a big haul for a starter with weak peripherals that the Sox probably didn't need.

So I think the real story is yet to be told.

[drewski6]

16 hours ago, dgalehouse said:

We don't have all that many baseball seasons in our lifetimes.  Any time you have a chance , you should go for it. The future will always be the future. It never gets here. 

deep

[drewski6]

11 hours ago, Soxlover said:

I’m not sure mopping up on bad teams is going to change my mind about being sellers

but it might change breslows

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

They already dealt Raffy and Priester and didn't seem to bring back legitimate MLB talent for 2025. Sox are clearly open for business.

because in your experience, the sox are this aligned regarding strategizing for future vs present

Every time they make a move that hamstrings 2025, I expect follow up futile moves that add to 2025