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MLB Trade Rumors: Aroldis Chapman drawing interest from Nationals

By Connor Muldowney

May 30, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman throws against the Washington Nationals in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. The Reds won 8-5. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman throws against the Washington Nationals in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. The Reds won 8-5. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cincinnati Reds might be sellers by the trade deadline in July and that has peaked the Nationals’ interest as they have inquired about Aroldis Chapman.

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Sitting at 28-32 and already 11.5 games out of first place before June 15, the Cincinnati Reds are looking like a team that desperately needs to find a rhythm or just start over for 2016. The Washington Nationals hope it’s the latter because the team from the nation’s capital has shown serious interest in one of the Reds’ main pieces, Aroldis Chapman.

Chapman, a 27-year-old native of Cuba, is one of the hardest throwing pitchers in the game of baseball today. If you’re looking for a closer who you absolutely don’t want your team to face in the ninth inning, it’s him.

Washington’s bullpen has been a mess this year. After a hot stretch, going 21-6 over a 27-game span, the Nationals have come back down to earth, going 3-11 in their last 14 games.

Although Bryce Harper is having the year of his life, batting .333 with 21 homers and 49 RBI while seemingly leading the race for NL MVP, he can only do so much while the pitching staff seems to be wavering.

Max Scherzer has been as good as advertised for the Nationals, but guys like Doug Fister and Stephen Strasburg have all found themselves on the disabled list and/or have been struggling a bit this year.

It’s not just the starters that have been looking for answers, as mentioned above, the bullpen is hungry for some life. The staff as a whole has posted a 4.01 ERA, good for 19th in the league, and a .269 batting average against, ranking 27th in baseball.

Those struggles as a staff have forced the team to look for answers via trade and, according to a report, the Reds could help them out.

This might seem like a long shot at the moment primarily because it is. The Nationals would probably have to give up a few key pieces in order to land Chapman. Aroldis seemed like an untouchable for the Reds until recently.

On the year, Chapman has been quite impressive, posting a 2.22 ERA, 13 saves and 47 strikeouts in just 28.1 innings pitched. The sixth-year player has been involved in nearly half of the Reds’ wins this season, but that could change by the end of July.

Washington barely has a better record than Cincinnati, but the Nationals are in a weaker division. That alone may help the nation’s capital snag one of the best fireballers in the game.

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