MLB Trade Deadline: 15 deals that should happen

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Jun 24, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (54) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. New York Yankees won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Aroldis Chapman to the Washington Nationals

While the Yankees probably won’t decide on an exact trade deadline direction until the final days of July, the team is quickly falling out of playoff contention and would be better off selling. New York sits at 37-39, nine games out of first place in the AL East, and aren’t getting much from the offense outside of 39-year-old Carlos Beltran.

If New York indeed becomes a seller, the easiest trade chip for them to deal would be Chapman. The 28-year-old is only under contract for 2016, would help any bullpen in the league, and the team would have a chance to re-sign him in the offseason anyway.

Since debuting for the Reds in 2010, Chapman has been the most dominant closer in the game with a preposterous strikeout rate of 42.7 percent for his career per FanGraphs. While Chapman’s 3.15 ERA this year may seem a little high, he’s running a 1.96 FIP with easily the best walk rate of his career at 5 percent.

Of any contender, the Nationals are probably most in need of a pure closer. Jonathan Papelbon is currently on the DL and has only been so-so while healthy, and the team would be much better off with Chapman closing games and Shawn Kelley in other high-leverage roles.

Trea Turner and Lucas Giolito are probably off-limits, but Washington has a few other impact prospects to deal for a rental of Chapman.

Next: 5. Ryan Braun and Jeremy Jeffress to the San Francisco Giants

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