NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds agreed to trade hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman to the Los Angeles Dodgers, pending approval of medical records, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the agreement, first reported by Fox, had not been announced.
Chapman, a 27-year-old left-hander, is eligible for free agency after next year’s World Series. He threw the 62 fastest pitches in the big leagues this year, ranging from 103.92 mph to 102.36 mph, according to Major League Baseball’s Statcast computer system.
“We go through this at the trade deadline at the end of July and now we have a bunch of players with names out there. So it’s uncomfortable enough,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “So if anything happens with any of our guys, it would be nice if it happened sooner rather than later, but that’s just the nature of the beast.”
Chapman was an All-Star in each of the last four seasons. He joins a bullpen that already has closer Kenley Jansen, who like Chapman is eligible for salary arbitration this winter and can become a free agent next November. Jansen, 28, has 80 saves during the last two seasons. He figures to be the Dodgers’ setup man if he stays.
After defecting from Cuba in 2009, Chapman spent the last six seasons with the Reds and saved 146 games in 164 chances. He had a 1.63 ERA this year, when he struck out 116 in 66 1-3 innings.
Seeking their first World Series title since 1988, the retooling Dodgers replaced manager Don Mattingly with Dave Roberts. Los Angeles also was closing in on deals to add free-agent pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma and to re-sign second baseman Chase Utley.
“You look at Chase Utley, the intangibles, I think he’s a special player and can make our team better,” Roberts said. “Iwakuma, haven’t seen a whole lot, but when he’s healthy, he’s as good as anything. Top-of-the-rotation guy. From what I hear, he’s healthy. We’ll see what happens.”
Roberts’ mother is from Japan.
“I definitely need to brush up on my Japanese. I’m a momma’s boy, self-admitted momma’s boy. She’s fluent in Japanese,” he said. “Have to get home cooking and go back to mom and go back to Japanese 101.”
In another trade, the Boston Red Sox have bolstered a suddenly imposing bullpen, acquiring right-hander Carson Smith and lefty Roenis Elias on Monday from the Seattle Mariners for left-hander Wade Miley and reliever Jonathan Aro in the first trade announced at the winter meetings.
The 26-year-old Smith had an impressive first full season in the big leagues, going 2-5 with 13 saves and a 2.31 ERA in 70 appearances for Seattle. He will join the back end of a bullpen anchored by new closer Craig Kimbrel.
Smith has been very impressive in his brief big league career, compiling a 2.07 ERA in 79 appearances. He has 92 strikeouts in 70 innings.
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