MLB rumors: Cashman trash is now treasure, Red Sox pitcher demoted, walk-offs are everything

Aroldis Chapman is going to be one of the most coveted trade deadline movers

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Aroldis Chapman is already keeping the Kansas City Royals’ phone lines busy (subscription required), with his sources telling him several teams have already inquired about the relief pitchers’ availability.

Chapman just threw the fastest pitch in Royals history and has rediscovered his velocity and command after completely losing both in 2022 with the Yankees. Chapman’s 2022 was controversial. He struggled on the mound after being an elite closer in the several years prior, missed plenty of games due to injury — including a tattoo infection — and then reportedly quit on the team ahead of the postseason because the Yankees refused to allow him to close games in the playoffs.

His 4-seam fastball has a run value seven better than it did last year, and it’s averaging 99.5 MPH. He completely reinvented his split-finger pitch, which traditionally would spin very slowly. He added an average of around 2 MPH to it this year and it rotates 260 revolutions more per minute in 2023 than it did in 2022.

Chapman is back, and the Royals are 14-31. He’s on a one-year deal so there is no sense in keeping a star who can compete on the roster. He will almost certainly be traded, allowing the Royals to cash in and Cashman another opportunity at another World Series win.

Chapman’s presumed preference is to stay on the East side of the country — he had a partial no-trade clause with the Yankees that would keep him on the East — but as far as can be told, no such clause exists with the Royals. Any team that wants a closer will be on the line.