Just a few years ago, Aroldis Chapman was the pinnacle of late game relievers. The Cuban gunner neutralized opposing hitters with his fireballs and dominated the position for much of the past decade.
That said, since the end of the 2019 season, Chapman has slowed down a lot. He wasn’t a bad reliever in 2020 and 2021, but he was no longer the untouchable pitcher of his prime.
And in 2022, it was downright the year of the implosion. In addition to spending a lot of time on the injured list (especially for a tattoo that got infected), Chapman lost all form of control, so much so that he lost his job as closer in the Bronx.
Then, as the team prepared for the playoffs, Chapman decided not to run again, so he dropped out of the Yankees altogether. And while he is currently a free agent, I see him very badly coming back to New York.
Who could give him a chance? Since the start of the offseason, I have seen the Marlins as the logical destination, and now, according to Jon Heyman, the Florida club has just the interest in Chapman’s services.
Why does that seem logical to me? Because Chapman lives nearby and Cubans are often drawn to Miami. For example, Jorge Soler signed in town last winter after helping the Braves win the World Series.
It should also be noted that Chapman is not the only Cuban who is of interest to the Marlins, who have contacted Yuli Gurriel to see if he was interested in joining the club.
When I tell you that Cubans and Miami are an easy connection to make…
Still, getting back to Chapman, the Marlins aren’t likely the only ones considering giving the reliever another chance, as the Rays, Royals, Padres and Dodgers have all reportedly approached the Cuban clan.
We agree that the magic of the Rays or the magic of the Dodgers (who have just revived Tommy Kahnle, he who has just agreed with the Yankees for a return to the Bronx) would not be a bad thing for Chapman.
In fact, I doubt that any team will sign Chapman in order to give him the role of specialist in the ninth inning, without giving him any competition. At this stage of his career, he is a reliever who can help out in situations where the pressure is not enormous, nothing more.
In short, we will see if the Marlins’ interest in Chapman and Gurriel will turn into signings, but clearly, they seem in the race for the services of the two players. It only remains to be seen if they can convince them to join a club that is not the most competitive…
