This would be an…interesting acquisition.
Do the Dodgers know what year it is? Do they know that it’s not 2015? Because based on the moves they’ve made this offseason, and the new report that came out today, they actually might not.
On Thursday, former MLB infielder Carlos Baerga posted on Instagram that the Dodgers and Padres each offered LHP Aroldis Chapman a two-year deal this offseason.
Here’s how his caption reads in English:
“Aroldis Chapman Rumored To Be Offered A 2-Year Deal By The Los Angeles Dodgers & San Diego Padres”
While Baerga isn’t the most known insider, he has been first on a few major stories this offseason, including, most recently, the extension that Rafael Devers signed with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.
So if this is true, and there’s no reason to believe it isn’t, we have to ask ourselves, what are the Dodgers thinking?
Chapman has enjoyed a very impressive 13-year career as one of the best relievers in baseball. He’s a seven-time All-Star, and made the team as recently as 2021. However, last year, he had by far the worst year of his career, sporting a 4.46 ERA in 36.1 innings, before landing on the injured list with an infection from a tattoo. Then, when he recovered, he was fined by the Yankees for missing live batting practice ahead of the postseason, and that ended his tenure in New York.
Chapman will be 35-years-old at the beginning of next season. He’s not the pitcher he used to be, and the Dodgers don’t need to add a “true closer” in the bullpen. Daniel Hudson is recovering from his torn ACL, and would be a perfect candidate to close games next season. They could also rely on any of Yency Almonte, Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol and Alex Vesia to get saves.
The Dodgers wanted Chapman in 2015, before a scandal he had stopped them from making the move. There’s no need to revisit that deal again.
