MLB Rumors: 3 teams who missed the boat on surprising Aroldis Chapman deal
By Curt Bishop
2. Cincinnati Reds made sense for Aroldis Chapman
Another team that has had a productive offseason thanks to several frugal additions is the Cincinnati Reds, the team Chapman made his Major-League debut with in 2010.
Similarly to the Royals, the Reds main strategy has been to add as much pitching as possible. They already added Frankie Montas to bolster the rotation and Nick Martinez, Emilio Pagan, and Brent Suter to patch up the bullpen.
However, they would certainly benefit from another presence at the back end of their bullpen, especially somebody familiar like the veteran Chapman, who could potentially have served as a mentor to their young pitchers. Tejay Antone coming back for a full season after Tommy John surgery would have also been a major bonus if Chapman was added.
Granted, that should still help the Reds, but they don't necessarily have a guy that can be considered a surefire setup man to Alexis Diaz. Chapman would have fit the bill, even with the left-hander now in the latter stages of his career. It would also have given them a power arm from the left side, one that can be trusted in high-leverage spots.
Like the Royals, the Reds missed their chance.