Pirates Agree to Sign Aroldis Chapman; 1 Year 10.5 Million

1-22-24 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on Twitter Follow the site @Steel_Pirates

Coincidence or not Bob Nutting challenged his GM to get some things done, and well, this is sure something.

Aroldis Chapman, along with all his baggage and history with Andrew McCutchen are now Pittsburgh Pirates property and they paid a rousing 10.5 million for the pleasure.

Ok, so I’ve already seen people yelling about his domestic abuse case, his walking out on the Yankees situation, his ineffectiveness with the Rangers in the playoffs and about fifty other things too, but lets start with baseball and circle back ok?

The Baseball Reason

The Pirates are clearly struggling to acquire a starting pitcher, that’s not to say they won’t yet get that done, but it is to say the pitching market in general is sky high. I mean, how much more evidence do you need than a 10.5 million dollar deal for what will be a 36 year old reliever.

Here’s what he did last year in 58.1 innings. 1.4 WAR, 3.09 ERA, 103 Ks and a 1.215 WHIP.

Listen, there’s no real way to paint this as bad from a baseball perspective. This guy still has juice, and when you’re struggling to fill the rotation, sometimes the best thing to do is load up the bullpen and shorten games.

Bednar, Mlodzinski, Holderman, Chapman, Borucki, Hernandez, Moreta, and more of course, but that is a pretty wicked back end to try to get through.

Yes, yes, they still have to get there of course, but if you’re worried about guys not getting through the lineup 3 times, well, now they probably never have to.

Again, from a baseball perspective, this is a no brainer.

Now, is 10.5 too much? I mean, it’s not where I’d have spent, but the market is the market, and I can’t deny, this dude will get outs and he’ll do it in leverage situations.

A 1 year deal, gives them flexibility to move him for something else they need should it matter come deadline time. Last year, the Royals dealt him to Texas for two players, one a lottery ticket Roni Cabrera in the DSL and one a big power lefty starter named Cole Ragans, in 2023 he started 12 games for the Royals after being dealt. 2.64 ERA and a 1.074 WHIP. Kid is a beast, and he’ll be an anchor in the Kansas City rotation this year.

I’m not saying the Pirates will do as well should it happen, but having a commodity like this to deal isn’t nothing. It’s something I’ve suggested they do all the way back to 2020, yes it would have raised payroll, but it also could have accelerated the build, so, better late than never.

This is a guy who still regularly hits 100 on the gun, he’s not washed up, even if you saw him give up a homerun in the playoffs.

All the Off Field Stuff

Let’s start with the light stuff. In 2022 he got a tattoo and it developed an infection, as a result he missed a mandatory workout and was left off the Yankees postseason roster.

In 2015, he was accused of pushing, choking his girlfriend and firing 8 shots from his handgun. No charges were filed because police determined there were too many inconsistencies in the statements, and his attorney issued a statement denying all the allegations. MLB suspended him for 30 games anyway and eventually he apologized for using his gun.

That’s it. Neither are good things of course, but they are part of his past and to not mention them is to ignore or condone them.

I don’t, of course, but it’s also in the past and it’s really up to you how you take it, or if you simply can’t deal with it at all. In other words, I’m telling you in case you didn’t know, but telling you how to feel, well, that’s not my place.

More to come I’m sure, but the Pirates strengthened a strength tonight, and folks, it’s not a bad way to go, especially if the alternative is strengthening nothing.

Finally, I’ve been told that Andrew McCutchen was told this was a possibility and didn’t express opposition. Take that for what it is, maybe he’ll let Andrew fire a ball off his hip in the locker room.

If I know Cutch, he’ll publicly acknowledge he’s ok with it in the coming days/weeks or even in Spring Training. Relax, these are big boys, they don’t all have to be best friends.