The Red Sox are showing “genuine interest” in trading for Reds closer Aroldis Chapman this offseason, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.
Sources: #RedSox doing background work on #Reds’ Chapman. Indicates sincerity of interest, not that a deal is close.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 12, 2015
Many teams will be in the mix for the left-handed fireballer, but few have the Red Sox’ myriad of trade options. Here are three potential deals both sides would likely sign off on.
Teams Most Likely To Trade For Chapman
BOS Trades SS Yoan Moncada, CIN Trades LHP Aroldis Chapman
Moncada is one of baseball’s brightest prospects, but there is a logjam at Fenway Park. Xander Bogaerts has already become a premier shortstop, and at 23 years old, he’s not going anywhere. Dustin Pedroia has begun his decline, but he is also a highly productive infielder, and at 32 he isn’t about to retire. Hanley Ramirez is in the mix as well if injuries hit, and Pablo Sandoval’s anchored at third base for many years after his ill-advised contract was signed last offseason.
Where’s Moncada going to play? Most scouts agree that he has the goods to be a real star at the MLB level, but he may not even debut until 2017. Why not try to win now with the veteran talent in-house by acquiring one of the top closers in the sport?
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BOS Trades OF Mookie Betts, IF/OF Hanley Ramirez, 1B Sam Travis, CIN Trades LHP Aroldis Chapman, 1B Joey Votto, RHP Anthony DeSclafani
This would be a massive trade. The Red Sox would take on Joey Votto’s insane contract -- he has nine years left on a 10-year, $225 million deal – but be able to unload the albatross of Hanley Ramirez’s deal, which pays him $22 million through 2018. Instead of the farce he would be at first base, the Red Sox would add Votto, who is a premier OBP guy and re-discovered his power last season (25 home runs).
Betts and Travis is an extremely high price in prospects, but Votto and Chapman have zero immediate downside. Votto’s contract will be a problem years down the road, but his OBP skills figure to give him a longer shelf life than most sluggers. Finally, DeSclafani can help round out Boston’s rotation; his 3.78 FIP indicated he was a bit unlucky last season, and that his best is yet to come.
BOS Trades OF Jackie Bradley Jr., C Blake Swihart, SP Wade Miley, CIN Trades LHP Aroldis Chapman, RHP Michael Lorenzen
In a deal like this, the Reds can add quality prospects with lower ceilings, and retain their biggest guns. Chapman is unlikely to be a Red long-term, so unloading him even for B-plus prospects like Bradley and Swihart is worth it. Lorenzen has a bit less upside than some of the other young pitchers in their projected rotation, while Miley would add some veteran leadership to it.
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