Aroldis Chapman will be the closer for the Bronx Bombers in 2016.
The New York Yankees will start the 2016 Major League Baseball season with solid relievers in the back-end of their bullpen to close out contests. They will continue to use right-hander Dellin Betances and left-hander Andrew Miller, after successful campaigns wearing the Yankee stripes.
This winter, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman bolstered the bullpen even further by adding former Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman. The trade was made a few days after Christmas Day in a deal that sent prospects to Ohio in exchange for the left-hander Chapman.
Prior to the trade being made, Chapman was involved in an alleged domestic dispute with his girlfriend in his Florida home. The picture looks bleak for him as police are alleging that he shot a gun eight times and choked his girlfriend. It was revealed that there was not enough evidence to press charges on the pitcher. However, last summer MLB instituted a new domestic violence policy where they are able to suspend players if evidence comes out at a later date.
This past Monday night Yankees manager Joe Girardi spoke to the YES Network about how he sees the roles for the trio relievers, assuming Chapman is not reprimanded by Major League Baseball. In his view, Chapman will be their 9th inning closer. He pitched 66.1 innings of work a year ago, striking out 116 men and finishing with a 1.63 ERA. Miller, last year’s Yankee closer, would move into the 8th inning role after 61.2 innings, striking out 100 men and concluding the year with an ERA of 2.04. Betances would then move into the 7th inning role. His ERA was a menacing 1.50, striking out 131 men in 84 innings of work.
It was a gamble by GM Cashman to acquire Chapman with his off the field woes but, if he is cleared and free to play, the bullpen will be fierce.