Cubs land Chapman for top prospect Torres, 3 others
The putative best team in baseball just picked up the game's most feared closer.
The Chicago Cubs landed left-handed fireballer Aroldis Chapman from the New York Yankees Monday in exchange for shortstop Gleyber Torres - the club's No. 1 prospect - as well as right-hander Adam Warren, and outfield prospects Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford, the teams announced.
Chapman is expected to join the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field, where they're facing the crosstown White Sox, on Tuesday.
Chapman pitched just 31 games for the Yankees after the team acquired him from the Cincinnati Reds over the winter for four minor leaguers. The 28-year-old saved 20 games and owns a 2.01 ERA in 31 1/3 innings for the Bronx Bombers, but his 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings is down slightly from his career norms. Chapman served a 30-day suspension for a domestic violence incident at the beginning of the season.
A four-time All-Star in Cincinnati, Chapman instantly upgrades the Cubs' bullpen, generally regarded as their one weakness, and should make them a formidable foe come October when the team looks to win their first World Series title since 1908. Chapman will likely close for the Cubs, with incumbent stopper Hector Rondon becoming the eighth-inning man.
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Torres, who was ranked as the Cubs' top prospect by MLB Pipeline, was pulled from his game at Single-A Myrtle Beach on Sunday in anticipation of the deal. The 19-year-old shortstop owns a .275/.359/.433 line in 94 games with the Carolina League outfit.
Torres will likely be assigned to the Yankees' Florida State League affiliate in Tampa, Sherman reported, where he'll play shortstop beside the team's incumbent top prospect Jorge Mateo, who will move to second.
McKinney, the Cubs' No. 5 prospect, was acquired by the Cubs for Jeff Samardzija in 2014. The 21-year-old is hitting .252/.355/.322 in Double-A, statistics that are down from his .285/.346/.420 line at the same level last season.
Warren pitched for the Yankees as a swingman from 2012-15 before the Cubs acquired him in December for Starlin Castro. He never got comfortable at Wrigley Field, sporting a 5.91 ERA in 29 appearances and just one start for the Cubs before being optioned to Triple-A over the weekend.
Crawford owns a .255/.327/.386 line and has stolen 22 bases with Myrtle Beach this season.