Aroldis Chapman Reportedly Traded to New York Yankees | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
William Burgess Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman is under investigation for an alleged domestic violence incident, but that didn't stop the New York Yankees from reportedly trading for the closer.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Monday the two sides came to an agreement for Chapman after Jack Curry of YES Network reported the New York Yankees were "on the verge" of trading for Chapman.
As Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown and Jeff Passan originally reported on Dec. 7, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a deal in place to land Chapman before putting the trade on hold because of domestic violence allegations.
Even if Chapman has a lengthy ban ahead of him, he remained a logical trade chip. The 2016 campaign would be Chapman's sixth full year of service, which means he'd be eligible for free agency next offseason and a huge payday.
Should he be unable to play the required amount of games in 2016, Chapman would indeed be eligible for arbitration one additional year. If a team were willing to wait on Chapman's return, he could definitely be had and would remain with the team through 2017.
Of course, there are legitimate concerns about how Chapman's presence will impact the Yankees' clubhouse if he is suspended for domestic violence. That's likely the major reason Cincinnati persisted in its efforts to move him.