The New York Yankees last had a losing season in 1992, so it’s still a little jarring to see them in sell mode, but with a middling 46-46 record their playoff chances are remote at best.
As a result, speculation has surrounded pending free agents like Aroldis Chapman and Carlos Beltran in recent weeks. That speculation now appears to be leading somewhere, as ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Monday that the Yankees are going “full bore” in shaping possible deals for the likes of Chapman.
The Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians are among those involved, Olney reported. The San Francisco Giants also appear to be a logical candidate for relief help, though they aren’t mentioned directly in the ESPN report.
Chapman, 28, has a 2.22 ERA with 40 strikeouts and eight walks in 28.1 innings this year. Though he recently hit 105 mph on the radar gun, he might not even be the most attractive trade chip in New York’s bullpen. Fellow left-hander Andrew Miller has 70 strikeouts in 41.1 innings for a 1.31 ERA and he’s set to earn just $9 million per season for 2017-18.
Beltran has 19 home runs with a .303 batting average and an .887 OPS this year.
