If the rumors that circulated in the world of MLBto the Cuban reliever Aroldis Chapman The offers did not rain down on him this offseason.
The 34-year-old lefty ended up reaching a deal for the 2023 season in the Big leagues with the Kansas City Royals for $3.75 million plus performance bonuses.
Aroldis Chapman, Royals reportedly agree to 1-year deal, per @fine sand. pic.twitter.com/3qdJHTXB1m
— MLB (@MLB) January 19, 2023
Not surprisingly, Chapman has seen its value drop. He is coming off a disappointing season with the New York Yankeesin which he posted his worst numbers in his 13-year career (4.46 ERA, 43 strikeouts in 36.1 innings and only 9 saves) and ended his relationship with the club with which he played for 7 years in a bad way.
It is possible that Kansas City He’s seen past those stats and is betting on Chapman to once once more be the dominant pitcher of his heyday.
But whether they give him the role of closer is not decided. The Cuban had already lost that role in 2022 due to his poor performance with the Bronx team, and unless he has an amazing start to the season, he won’t have it either with the Royals.
The team led by Matt Quatraro already has a man to assume the closing of the games and it is Scott Barlow. The 30-year-old right-hander has earned the job since the middle of the 2021 season and last year looked solid in this role.
Barlow is coming off saving 24 games in 28 opportunities in 2022, the sixth most for the American League. His ERA was 2.18 — the best in his four-year career — and he struck out 77 batters in 74.1 innings pitched.
There’s no question that adding a player of Chapman’s experience to the bullpen gives Kansas City a lot of depth in this department and if it can put the poor 2022 season behind it it will give the relief a lot of solidity in the late innings. But he shouldn’t be the closer over Barlow.
