The Pirates’ bullpen entered the offseason as arguably the membership’s best energy, and now they’ve bolstered it additional, reaching an settlement on a one-year, $10.5 million contract with free-agent reliever Aroldis Chapman, a supply informed MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
The membership has not confirmed the deal, which is pending a bodily.
In 2022, Chapman tallied a 4.46 ERA in simply 43 video games with the Yankees — the best ERA he’s had in a 162-game season within the fewest appearances since his rookie yr. However he entered free company this offseason following a robust season in ’23, when he had a 3.09 ERA within the common season earlier than permitting simply two runs in eight postseason innings within the Rangers’ march in direction of a World Collection championship.
Chapman, 35, signed a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Royals final offseason and had a 2.45 ERA in 31 video games with Kansas Metropolis earlier than being shipped to Texas on the finish of June within the first transfer of the Deadline season. Whereas Chapman doubtless isn’t a better at this stage in his profession (he’s solely had 15 regular-season saves over the past two seasons), he nonetheless has a fastball that averages 99.5 mph (99th percentile) and completed final yr within the one centesimal percentile in whiff and strikeout charge.
With these numbers, Chapman figures to fit right into a late innings function for Pittsburgh beside nearer David Bednar and setup relievers Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski and Ryan Borucki, amongst different choices.
The most important knock on Chapman at this level in his profession is his command and management. He’s had a stroll charge above 14.5 % in every of his previous three seasons and completed final yr with 36 walks in 58 1/3 innings.
This was Chapman’s third foray into free company. He signed a 5 yr, $86 million contract with the Yankees in December 2016 (which was the most important contract for a reliever on the time), then signed the aforementioned cope with the Royals final offseason. His greatest season with the Yankees got here in 2019 when he had a 2.21 ERA with 37 saves in 57 innings.
The Pirates entered the offseason needing to handle their beginning rotation, which they’ve finished with the acquisitions of Martín Pérez and Marco Gonzales, however the back-end of the group remains to be a bit skinny. Having a deeper bullpen group is one other solution to bridge the hole from the sixth by means of ninth innings with leads intact.
Chapman’s $10.5 million is substantial, because it marks the second-highest wage on the Pirates this season behind Bryan Reynolds, who will make simply north of $13 million as a part of his eight-year, $106.75 million extension, which started in 2023.
