After trading him at last year’s deadline, the Yankees are bringing back closer Aroldis Chapman on a five-year, $86 million deal, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports.
With Dellin Betances bobbling the closer’s workload, the Yankees were in the market for a closer this off-season. They got their top target, who was reportedly seeking a six-year, $100 million deal and had an offer from the Marlins. At an average of $17.2 million a season, this certainly didn’t come at a discount.
His deal will also include a no-trade clause:
Source: Chapman deal includes three-year opt-out, full no-trade for first three years, limited no-trade for final two.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 8, 2016
Details of Aroldis Chapman deal: no-trade for 3 years, and cannot be to a team located in California
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) December 8, 2016
Since Chapman was not extended a qualifying offer, he won’t cost the Yankees a draft pick, which is preferable. New York acquired its top prospect, Gleyber Torres, from Chicago as part of a prospect package. When you consider the fact that the team got Chapman at a discount after his domestic violence incident last off-season, secured a lucrative package after owning him for half a season, and then got him back, it seems like a strategical win for the Yankees. It will cost them a lot, though—it’s a record deal for a closer—and the lefty is entering his age-29 season.
The Yankees, it seems, still have an offer out to Kenley Jansen, though this will probably convince him to sign elsewhere. It’s the team’s second major signing of the winter, after they inked Matt Holliday to a one-year deal.
Photo: Tommy Gilligan / USA Today Sports