3 Yankees-Aroldis Chapman trade destinations before 2022

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Aroldis Chapman #54 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

(Looks around to see if anyone’s listening, then makes sure they absolutely are) Hey, what if the Yankees just straight-up traded Aroldis Chapman!

Think about it. When did you feel most comfortable with the 2021 Yankees bullpen? At the end of the season when Clay Holmes, Michael King and Luis Severino had ascended.

Who did you trust least, at that time? Aroldis Chapman.

Well, alright, fine, technically both Chapman and Chad Green. Perhaps, in his final season of club control, he should be traded, too?

That’s a topic for another article — or, depending on how long this lockout lasts, perhaps three or four more.

The only rub here (and of course there is one)? When the Yankees reconstructed Aroldis Chapman’s contract before 2020, they added a full no-trade provision into that puppy. Full! Previously, Chapman could’ve been traded at the tail end of his deal … but not to “Seattle or the California teams” without his consent.

Now, he has to wave the Yankees forward in the pursuit of any trade for it to be consummated.

Hey, why Seattle and the California teams, huh?

It’s in the Yankees’ best interest to do all the persuading possible to get Chapman up and off the roster entering the final year of his deal. They’ve proven they can persevere without him, and the “Jonathan Loaisiga for Closer” buzz is already getting louder, one full season before he becomes their best in-house option.

Maybe the Yankees should start beating that drum themselves, slide Clay Holmes into the eighth-inning spot, and force Chapman to demand a trade?

Thanks for calling this meeting, Aroldis. We’ve actually already got three new destinations lined up for you. Totally coincidental.

3 trade destinations Yankees should send Aroldis Chapman to

3. Seattle Mariners

The Tradin’ Mariners are on the verge of contention, and are no strangers to making massive bullpen shakeups in pursuit of finding a workable model. After all, in the middle of their Wild Card run last year, they flipped closer Kendall Graveman to the Houston Astros just to mess up team chemistry and turn a profit one last time.

So why not Chapman? His fastball isn’t what it once was, but he was nearly untouchable sitting at 100 in the months of April and May while showing off his new splitter before he hurt his finger mysteriously and the whole thing fell apart.

Spoiled Yankee fans have had enough of the Chapman roller coaster, but there’s still electricity in that arm, and a one-year risk to acquire Chapman with limited capital could well be worth it. There’s not much in Seattle beyond Paul Sewald, coming off his best season ever, and Diego Castillo, an injury risk every time he takes to the mound and heaves his 100 MPH chedd from the left side.

A Castillo-Sewald-Chapman back end actually feels pretty varied and fearsome. Just don’t remind Chappy which road stadium is in this division.

Which reminds us…

Aroldis Chapman #54 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

2. Houston Astros

You know he’d kick our ass with the H-and-a-Star on his hat. You simply know he would kick our ass.

So come on, Houston! Don’t you want to see how good this could be? You already did the Roberto Osuna thing, so we know you have no moral compass in this department.

This is probably the stadium Chapman sees when he closes his eyes every night, as well as what the devil would theoretically have waiting for him in the afterlife, but if he chooses it call it home, he’ll be atop the bullpen pecking order, knocking Ryan Pressly down to a setup role that probably suits him better anyway.

Kendall Graveman, who the ‘Stros famously traded for last season from within the division, is in Chicago now. That means the famously thin bullpen that hung on for dear life throughout the 2021 World Series is now even thinner and more of a patchwork operation.

It might take a serious freezeout to get Chapman to agree to leave the Yankees for the Lone Star State, but Brian Cashman would probably have a willing and kooky partner in crime here (emphasis on the literal crime) if he can hold up his side of the bargain.

Move his locker next to Jordan Montgomery’s. Change the locks on the bullpen door. Change Loaisiga’s intro music to Rage Against the Machine and photoshop his face over Chapman’s on the flame graphics. Whatever it takes.

And, hey, if Chapman still says no, the Yankees have another solid bullpen arm who hates Houston in Green who might be worth a conversation.

Aroldis Chapman #54 of the Chicago Cubs (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Yes, back to where it all began in the National League!

Would this one even be a hard sell? They’re without a closer — Blake Treinen is their best in-house option, but he’d leave the eighth inning bare. They won 106 games last season after being beset by injuries, so they’re much closer to championship glory than the Yankees are.

Hell, I’d accept a trade to the Dodgers if you floated the opportunity in front of me.

Andrew Friedman likely doesn’t want to pay either big money or major assets in exchange for a closer after getting lucky and shedding the Kenley Jansen deal, but this is just one season. The Yankees won’t be asking for any earth-shattering prospects, and perhaps the two sides can even come to a revenue-sharing proposal like the one the Red Sox worked out for David Price.

For too long, Los Angeles has bailed Boston out of bad decision after bad decision, from Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett to Manny Ramirez to Price in the Betts deal. Once — just once — can the Dodgers use their massive coffers for good instead of evil?

Trust us, LA. Chapman won’t be as bad as you think he’ll be. Hell, he might even save a massive game or two in May.

And when the weather’s warm, he could accidentally be effective all summer long. Just don’t, uh, play any East Coast teams in the World Series.

Or West Coast teams. Or Central clubs. Just … don’t make it that far, maybe.

DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: Aroldis Chapman #54 of the New York Yankees walks off the field following a 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark on April 12, 2021 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

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