Left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman has joined the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, ESPN confirmed late on Monday. The 35-year-old is the hardest-throwing pitcher in baseball history since velocity tracking was introduced.

With a fastball averaging over 99 mph, Chapman played a crucial role in guiding the Texas Rangers to their first World Series Championship title this year. He struck out 103 in 58⅓ innings, walking 36, and allowed our home runs with a 3.09 ERA. After signing a one-year, $3.75 million deal with the Kansas City Royals before the 2023 season, Chapman was dealt to the Texans in June for left-hander Cole Ragans.

Entering his 15th season in the MLB, Chapman holds a career strikeout rate of 14.8 per nine innings; the best of any pitcher who has thrown more than 500 innings. He has saved 321 games, making the All-Star team on seven occasions.

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Star left-handed relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman has become the third New York Yankees player to test positive for COVID-19, dealing Aaron Boone’s club some news which could alter its roster plans for the beginning of the season.

Chapman, the Cuban flamethrower, will be sidelined until he tests negative for coronavirus twice. He will not be able to rejoin the team until that point, at which he will be released from quarantine.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that the veteran pitcher “has mild symptoms, but (is) doing well.”

Chapman has become one of the best relievers in Major League Baseball since defecting from Cuba and signing with the Cincinnati Reds in 2010. In the past ten seasons, he has accumulated six All-Star appearances and one AL Reliever of the Year Award.

His recognition as the American League’s best relief pitcher came last season, in which he posted a 2.21 ERA in 60 appearances along with 85 strikeouts.

Chapman, who is penciled in to be the Yankees’ closer once again in 2020, will leave his team’s bullpen with a significant hole in it if he isn’t ready for Opening Day.

No matter what the final result, however, New York should get Chapman back if his symptoms don’t get worse sooner rather than later.

The post Yankees Star P Aroldis Chapman Tests Positive for COVID-19 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It looks like New York Yankees’ All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman had decided to skip the free agency this time. According to ESPN, Aroldis instead signed a contract extension with Yankees, which will keep him in New York through 2022.

Chapman had an option to opt-out from his five-year, $86 million contract he signed with Yankees in 2016 and become a free agent this winter. After considering his options, the 31-year-old decided to remain at the club, which, in return, added one extra year to his deal. He will now earn $30 million in the next two years and $18 million in 2022.

In 60 games he played this season, Chapman posted 2.21 ERA with 85 strikeouts and 37 saves.

Earlier this year, several reports suggested that Chapman is almost certainly going to become a free agent. But the uncertain market for closers and the fact that he feels comfortable in Yankees uniform ended up influencing his decision to stay put.

Aroldis Chapman made his MLB debut with Cincinnati Reds in 2010. He remained six years with the Reds, making four consecutive All-Star appearances during that time. Chapman was traded to Yankees in 2016, but only played 31 games before being traded to Chicago Cubs.

Chapman played out the 2016 MLB season with the Cubs, helping them win their first World Series since 1908. After becoming a free agent following the end of the season, he decided to return to Yankees.

The post Yankees and Closer Aroldis Chapman Agree to a Contract Extension appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Aroldis Chapman of the New York Yankees and Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers were named the American League and National League Relievers of the Year on Saturday.

Chapman, the closer for the Yankees, earned the award after posting a spectacular season. The Cuba native put up a 2.21 ERA in his pressure-packed job, recording 37 saves and striking out 85 batters in 57 innings pitched.

He was New York’s go-to man in close games in the final innings, and it’s safe to say that his five-year, $86 million contract is working out nicely.

He was named an All-Star for the second consecutive season.

Hader was also fantastic in 2019, posting a 2.62 ERA in 61 appearances for the Brewers, recording 37 saves. He posted mind-boggling strikeout numbers, managing to make 138 batters whiff in only 75.2 innings.

He, too, was named an All-Star for the second season in a row. It’s also the second consecutive year that the lefty has won the NL Reliever of the Year Award after an equally impressive 2018 campaign.

The only real blemish in Hader’s 2019 season was blowing a save to lose the game for the Brewers in the ninth inning of the NL Wild Card Game, but it was an impressive season for the Florida native nonetheless.

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New York Yankees might be forced to look for a new closer once the 2019 MLB season wraps up. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Chapman intends to opt-out of his contract at the end of the season and become a free agent.

Rosenthal reports that a player close to Chapman told him that there is “one million percent” chance the 31-year-old All-Star gets out of his contract with the Yankees.

Chapman inked a five-year, $86 million contract with the organization in 2017, and has opt-out clause after the third year. He is scheduled to earn $34.4 million in the final two years of the deal but believes that the free market could get him an even bigger payday.

Aroldis Chapman played impressive baseball with the Yankees so far in 2019, showing why he is one of the best closers in MLB at this moment. In 29 games he played this year, Chapman posted 2.45 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while adding 53 strikeouts. He also has 25 saves from 29 opportunities.

The post Aroldis Chapman Will Reportedly Opt-Out of His Contract with Yankees appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman has joined the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, ESPN confirmed late on Monday. The 35-year-old is the hardest-throwing pitcher in baseball history since velocity tracking was introduced.

With a fastball averaging over 99 mph, Chapman played a crucial role in guiding the Texas Rangers to their first World Series Championship title this year. He struck out 103 in 58⅓ innings, walking 36, and allowed our home runs with a 3.09 ERA. After signing a one-year, $3.75 million deal with the Kansas City Royals before the 2023 season, Chapman was dealt to the Texans in June for left-hander Cole Ragans.

Entering his 15th season in the MLB, Chapman holds a career strikeout rate of 14.8 per nine innings; the best of any pitcher who has thrown more than 500 innings. He has saved 321 games, making the All-Star team on seven occasions.

The post Aroldis Chapman Joins Pirates On $10.5 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Star left-handed relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman has become the third New York Yankees player to test positive for COVID-19, dealing Aaron Boone’s club some news which could alter its roster plans for the beginning of the season.

Chapman, the Cuban flamethrower, will be sidelined until he tests negative for coronavirus twice. He will not be able to rejoin the team until that point, at which he will be released from quarantine.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that the veteran pitcher “has mild symptoms, but (is) doing well.”

Chapman has become one of the best relievers in Major League Baseball since defecting from Cuba and signing with the Cincinnati Reds in 2010. In the past ten seasons, he has accumulated six All-Star appearances and one AL Reliever of the Year Award.

His recognition as the American League’s best relief pitcher came last season, in which he posted a 2.21 ERA in 60 appearances along with 85 strikeouts.

Chapman, who is penciled in to be the Yankees’ closer once again in 2020, will leave his team’s bullpen with a significant hole in it if he isn’t ready for Opening Day.

No matter what the final result, however, New York should get Chapman back if his symptoms don’t get worse sooner rather than later.

The post Yankees Star P Aroldis Chapman Tests Positive for COVID-19 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It looks like New York Yankees’ All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman had decided to skip the free agency this time. According to ESPN, Aroldis instead signed a contract extension with Yankees, which will keep him in New York through 2022.

Chapman had an option to opt-out from his five-year, $86 million contract he signed with Yankees in 2016 and become a free agent this winter. After considering his options, the 31-year-old decided to remain at the club, which, in return, added one extra year to his deal. He will now earn $30 million in the next two years and $18 million in 2022.

In 60 games he played this season, Chapman posted 2.21 ERA with 85 strikeouts and 37 saves.

Earlier this year, several reports suggested that Chapman is almost certainly going to become a free agent. But the uncertain market for closers and the fact that he feels comfortable in Yankees uniform ended up influencing his decision to stay put.

Aroldis Chapman made his MLB debut with Cincinnati Reds in 2010. He remained six years with the Reds, making four consecutive All-Star appearances during that time. Chapman was traded to Yankees in 2016, but only played 31 games before being traded to Chicago Cubs.

Chapman played out the 2016 MLB season with the Cubs, helping them win their first World Series since 1908. After becoming a free agent following the end of the season, he decided to return to Yankees.

The post Yankees and Closer Aroldis Chapman Agree to a Contract Extension appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Aroldis Chapman of the New York Yankees and Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers were named the American League and National League Relievers of the Year on Saturday.

Chapman, the closer for the Yankees, earned the award after posting a spectacular season. The Cuba native put up a 2.21 ERA in his pressure-packed job, recording 37 saves and striking out 85 batters in 57 innings pitched.

He was New York’s go-to man in close games in the final innings, and it’s safe to say that his five-year, $86 million contract is working out nicely.

He was named an All-Star for the second consecutive season.

Hader was also fantastic in 2019, posting a 2.62 ERA in 61 appearances for the Brewers, recording 37 saves. He posted mind-boggling strikeout numbers, managing to make 138 batters whiff in only 75.2 innings.

He, too, was named an All-Star for the second season in a row. It’s also the second consecutive year that the lefty has won the NL Reliever of the Year Award after an equally impressive 2018 campaign.

The only real blemish in Hader’s 2019 season was blowing a save to lose the game for the Brewers in the ninth inning of the NL Wild Card Game, but it was an impressive season for the Florida native nonetheless.

The post Aroldis Chapman and Josh Hader Named MLB Relievers of the Year appeared first on SportzBonanza.

New York Yankees might be forced to look for a new closer once the 2019 MLB season wraps up. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Chapman intends to opt-out of his contract at the end of the season and become a free agent.

Rosenthal reports that a player close to Chapman told him that there is “one million percent” chance the 31-year-old All-Star gets out of his contract with the Yankees.

Chapman inked a five-year, $86 million contract with the organization in 2017, and has opt-out clause after the third year. He is scheduled to earn $34.4 million in the final two years of the deal but believes that the free market could get him an even bigger payday.

Aroldis Chapman played impressive baseball with the Yankees so far in 2019, showing why he is one of the best closers in MLB at this moment. In 29 games he played this year, Chapman posted 2.45 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while adding 53 strikeouts. He also has 25 saves from 29 opportunities.

The post Aroldis Chapman Will Reportedly Opt-Out of His Contract with Yankees appeared first on SportzBonanza.