According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Miami Marlins are interested in acquiring free-agent reliever Aroldis Chapman. Heyman, who previously stated that three clubs were considering signing the veteran, a resident of South Florida, says that a few additional teams are also looking at Chapman.
Marlins are among a few teams considering Aroldis Chapman, who lives in South Florida
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 17, 2023
Although it appears that the fish are keeping an eye on Chapman, it is unclear how serious their interest is. The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson and Craig Mish reported this afternoon that the Marlins had not made a formal bid. The Herald reports that Chapman has been working out in the Miami region, where he resides, and hopes to sign with a team soon.
Aroldis Chapman., one of the top relievers in the game for more than a decade, was still a useful late-game arm in 2021. He earned an All-Star selection that year and pitched 56 1/3 innings for the Yankees with an ERA of 3.36. His home run and walk totals were a little concerning, but his overall performance was strong. He was given the ninth inning by New York because they had faith in him, and in his 34 efforts, he had saved 30 games.
Aroldis Chapman. would have been in line for a lucrative multi-year deal had he entered free agency after that season. The huge southpaw’s 2022 season was unquestionably the worst of his career, and as a result, his worth was at an all-time low as he entered the open market.
In 36 1/3 innings, Chapman’s ERA was 4.46; this was the first season he had an ERA above four earned runs per nine innings. He walked 17.5% of opposing hitters last year, which was the second-highest percentage of his career and the highest rate of any reliever who pitched more than 30 innings.
Aroldis Chapman. combined a high number of free passes with his lowest career strikeout percentage. The first time he struck out less than 30% of opponents was when he fanned 26.9% of the batters he faced. Chapman still received a mark that was much above average, notwithstanding the decline. The same can be said for the speed of his fastball. In comparison to his peak, when he regularly averaged north of 100 MPH, his heater was at 97.5 MPH, a lesser number.
Even so, Chapman was one of the hardest-throwing southpaws in the sport. The only lefties in the game to outperform Chapman in average fastball speed were teammates from New Philadelphia, Gregory Soto and José Alvarado. Given the caliber of even the supposedly “lesser” items he is displaying, Chapman could undoubtedly right the ship and reemerge as a high-caliber piece. However, his problems in 2022 went beyond his erratic performance on the field.
The 34-year-old (who will turn 35 next month) had two periods on the injured list. He was sidelined early in the season by Achilles tendinitis, followed by a late-season injury absence brought on by an infected tattoo. The Yankees’ management was irritated as a result, and after Chapman failed to show up for a team practice just before the start of the postseason, New York completely left him off their playoff rosters.
That undoubtedly appeared to put an abrupt end to Chapman’s seven years in the Bronx, which were typically productive. There was never any uncertainty about where he would fit in. Along with players like Andrew Chafin, Will Smith, Matt Moore, and Brad Hand, Aroldis Chapman. remains in free agency as a member of the left-handed relief class that has strangely lagged behind the rest of the market.