Rondon: Giving up closer's job to Chapman is good for Cubs

The Chicago Cubs made a gigantic splash leading into the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline by acquiring left-handed closing specialist Aroldis Chapman from the New York Yankees in exchange for four players Monday.

With the arrival of Chapman on the North Side, Chicago's incumbent closer Hector Rondon will be moved out of the ninth-inning job despite saving 18 games and owning a 1.95 ERA - a switch he seems OK with making.

"I think it's good for our team," Rondon told reporters, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers. "He's one of the best relievers we have right now. I'm good with that. I know I did a really good job in my role.

"You have a chance to get that guy, better take it."

The addition of Chapman to the bullpen of the first-place Cubs helps fortify one of the team's weakest points and allows manager Joe Maddon more flexibility in the game's later innings, which he used as a selling point when speaking to Rondon about the switch.

"When the team sees that the acquisition raises the level of their abilities, it's a very easy sell," Maddon said. "It's like a lineup. When you throw one more guy into the lineup, what it does to the rest of the group. The same thing happens with the bullpen. You put the anchor on the backside, it really permits you to do other (things)."

Over the course of three seasons as Cubs closer, Rondon has saved 77 games, but Chapman has been one of the most dominant closers of the past five seasons, saving 166 games in 185 chances using his high-octane fastball - which has touched 105 mph this season - to tally 590 strikeouts in 350 1/3 innings.

"Everyone knows his fastball. He's coming to us to throw cheese," Rondon said.