After dropping a hanging slider into the upper portion of the plate against the Houston Astros, New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was left in disbelief. It was almost an awkward silence where the entire universe stood still for a lonely moment when Chapman forced a nervous grin to shoot across his face. He didn’t even turn around to see Jose Altuve’s rocket fly over the left-field wall to end game 7 of the ALCS in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Yankees closer has been mulling the idea of opting out of the final two years of his existing contract, but it wouldn’t be to spite his current team. It would be a tactic to increase his yearly salary, and the Yankees would have the priority spot at re-signing him for more.
The better question is:
Do the New York Yankees want Aroldis Chapman?
Don’t be silly, of course, the Yankees want Chapman. He just won the American League Closer of the Year award, naming him the top player at his craft in his division. The Bombers aren’t necessarily trying to drop a security blanket that puts out most fires and hitters daily. One lousy pitch doesn’t define how dominant he was during the 2019 campaign.
It’s possible that Chapman stays put and earns the $30 million over the next two years, but his worth has increased, and he knows more money is on the table. How much will he earn, though?
According to MLB.com’s, Mark Feinsand:
The obvious comparison here is Craig Kimbrel, who was hampered by a qualifying offer last offseason, as teams were seemingly hesitant to give up big money and Draft-pick compensation to a closer with declining strikeout and walk numbers. Kimbrel — who ended up struggling with the Cubs — waited until June to sign his three-year, $43 million deal with Chicago, which will pay him $16 million in each of the next two seasons. “Chapman will get more [than Kimbrel],†an AL executive said. “And he won’t have to wait.†The Yankees could bring Chapman back on a longer deal — the executive predicted a four-year, $60 million contract, which would double what he’s currently owed — though there would be other suitors as well.
His 37 overall saves ranked second in the AL this past season, and there’s still plenty of value to be had in regards to the closer. He’s a stellar option late in games and was one of the only Yankee players that didn’t get injured in 2019. If the Yankees can afford him, which they can, they shouldn’t hesitate to re-secure one of the most dominant closers in MLB history.