Aroldis Chapman Signs With Pirates

Updated Post: Jan 22 at 7:13 pm ET

According to Francys Romero of MLB, Aroldis Chapman is in agreement on a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The deal is pending physical. It is a one-year, $10.5 million deal, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Original Post: Jan 22 at 1:14 pm ET

With the reliever market finally heating up, Andy Martino of SNY reports the Mets, along with the Yankees, have shown interest in Hector Neris and Aroldis Chapman. Both teams are in contact with each player’s representatives.

According to Martino, the Mets have around $10 million left to spend this offseason and would like to upgrade their bullpen. Neris, a right-hander who spent time in the Phillies and Astros organizations, has a career 3.24 ERA in 541 innings pitched. He was one of the best relievers in baseball in 2023, having a career year with a 1.71 ERA. Neris is looking for a multi-year deal with an AAV of around $7-$11 million.

Chapman is no stranger to New York, spending seven of his 13 major league years with the Yankees. A flame-throwing southpaw who regained his once iconic 103 mph fastball in 2023, Chapman is an intriguing fit for any team. He has a career 2.53 ERA but struggled during his time in New York. His 6.9 BB/9 in 2022 was his highest since 2011. Once a feared closer in baseball, he won his second World Series with the Rangers in 2023.

The Mets haven’t made many splashy moves this offseason, instead opting for depth and experience. Neris and Chapman would fit their current trend of signing players to low-medium risk contracts with high reward potential. The team has players like Nate Lavender and Bryce Montes de Oca in their farm, but the former has no big league experience, and the latter is recovering from Tommy John surgery. In need of bullpen help and the market dwindling, the competition will be fierce in signing the remaining players available.

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