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At one point, closer Aroldis Chapman appeared destined for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Investigations into an alleged domestic violence incident, however, squashed those plans and forced the Cincinnati Reds to pivot.

Now, Chapman is headed to the New York Yankees in a trade first reported by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Jack Curry of YES Network reported the Reds will get four minor leaguers in exchange for Chapman, but it won’t be any of Greg Bird, Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo and Gary Sanchez.

Rosenthal reported the Marlins were also after Chapman, but that the Reds preferred the Yankees’ offer.

Chapman, a four-time All-Star, was previously viewed as one of the most attractive trade chips on the market. His alleged legal troubles, however, made him a harder sell to prospective buyers. 

As Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown and Jeff Passan reported on Dec. 7, “Chapman allegedly fired eight gunshots in the garage of his Miami-area home following an October argument with his girlfriend in which she told police he ‘choked’ her and pushed her against a wall.” According to their report, “word of the incident held up the [Dodgers] deal.”

Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi noted not all teams were dissuaded from dealing for Chapman despite the looming threat of a possible suspension. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported the Yankees “do anticipate that Chapman will deal with some kind of suspension.”

Despite a potential ban, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters he feels the team has “done [its] due diligence to the best of [its] abilities.”

If Chapman is suspended, that time won’t count toward his MLB service, per Rosenthal and Morosi. As a result, the acquiring party could gain an extra year of team control out of the deal. At present, Chapman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2017, per Spotrac.

Parting with Chapman has always made sense for the Reds. Cincinnati is ready to engage in a rebuild, and the team doesn’t need a high-quality closer if it knows losses are likely in the near future. 

“We’re in a tough division,” Walt Jocketty, the Reds’ president of baseball operations, said in November, according to Rosenthal. “We’ve got to be realistic about it.”

Chapman has topped 30 saves in each of the last four seasons. During the 2015 campaign, Chapman finished with the eighth-most saves (33) in the National League. Among closers who tallied at least 20 saves in the Senior Circuit last season, Chapman was by far the most prolific from a strikeout standpoint. 

In 65 games, Chapman whiffed 116 batters to finish with a staggering rate of 15.7 strikeouts per nine innings, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

The 27-year-old boasts a devastating fastball-slider combination, and he is one of the most dominant bullpen arms in baseball.

Dealing for him at this stage of his career carries risk, however. Not only is Chapman facing the likelihood of discipline from the league, but he’ll soon be a free agent. And once he hits the open market, he’ll command gobs of cash. 

That said, Chapman’s talent is unique enough to splurge on—even if he is just a short-term rental. He figures to help a team that ranked 17th in ERA this past season at 4.05.

Although Andrew Miller did well for New York last year in converting 36 of his 38 save opportunities in 2015, he has been the subject of trade rumors. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported earlier in December that the Dodgers and Houston Astros were interested in him. It will be interesting to see what Miller’s future holds with Chapman’s arrival.

Commendable as Miller’s efforts have been, the Yankees haven’t had a closer of Chapman’s ability since the legendary Mariano Rivera. It’s quite a standard to live up to, but Chapman certainly has the physical tools to go down in New York lore.

But that’s a bold assumption to make, considering he could be out of the Big Apple after only one year. Chapman must put his recent off-field issues behind him and prove himself promptly to secure a future with baseball’s winningest franchise.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Tuesday they’re set to unveil a statue of Jackie Robinson outside Dodger Stadium in 2016. 

According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, California-based sculptor Branly Cadet has been tabbed to create the statue, which will reportedly be nine-to-10 feet tall and based around the concept of “Leveling the Playing Field.”     

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Yasiel Puig‘s lawyer denied a video released on Saturday was his client taking part in a bar fight on the eve of Thanksgiving in Miami, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. Earlier in the day, TMZ Sports claimed to show a video featuring the outfielder taking part in the altercation but later retracted the story. 

“Anyone who has actually ever seen Yasiel can see clearly it’s not him,” Puig’s lawyer, Jay Reisinger, said, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan. 

Citing Miami police spokesman Maj. Delrish Moss, the Associated Press (via USA Today) reported Puig suffered “a swollen eye and facial bruises” as a result of the altercation. 

On Friday, Heyman noted that “Major League Baseball is looking into it, but it’s quite possible it comes to the same conclusion as the police, who walked away after determining it was merely a late-night bar brawl between hotheads that warranted no action.”

An MLB spokesperson declined comment, according to Heyman.

The incident stemmed from a “heated” argument between Puig and his sister inside the bar, according to the original report from TMZ. After he allegedly pushed her, bar employees reportedly escorted Puig outside. 

The incident didn’t do any favors to Puig’s public image, which has been tarnished over the past two seasons by some unbecoming behavior. 

“He is the worst person I’ve ever seen in this game,” an ex-Dodger told Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller. “Ever.”

Puig captured the attention of the baseball world during his breakout 2013 campaign, but his production since hasn’t lived up to those high standards. After batting .319 with 19 home runs and 42 RBI in 104 games as a rookie, he hit .296 with 16 homers and 69 RBI during the 2014 season. 

The 2015 campaign represented Puig’s low point to date. Limited to 79 appearances due to hamstring injuries, he batted a career-worst .255 with a meager .322 on-base percentage. Puig mustered just 11 home runs and 38 RBI. 

And while speculation has thrust Puig into trade rumors during the offseason, Heyman reported the Dodgers would only deal him “if they can get a good pitcher back.” In other words, Los Angeles won’t sell low on a cost-controlled asset unless it’s blown away by an offer. 

At this rate, the Dodgers need to hope Puig returns to form and makes offseason controversy a thing of the past while mounting a redemptive campaign in 2016.

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Following a three-year stint with the Cleveland Indians, Mike Aviles is headed to the Detroit Tigers on a one-year deal, the team announced.

ESPN’s Buster Olney initially reported the deal.

The team has not disclosed the financial terms.

As his .231/.282/.317 slash line during the 2015 season indicated, Aviles doesn’t have much upside to offer at the plate. Soon to be 35 years old, Aviles hasn’t batted .250 in either of the last two seasons. 

However, he wields plenty of versatility. A utility man in the truest sense of the word, Aviles played six positions in the field and served as a designated hitter last season. According to Baseball-Reference.com, he logged playing time at all three outfield spots, second base, third base and shortstop.

Cleveland used him mostly in left field, at the hot corner and at shortstop, where he played 227.2, 194.0 and 172.0 innings last year, respectively. 

Prior to his three-year stay with the Indians, Aviles spent four years with the Kansas City Royals and a productive season-and-a-half with the Boston Red Sox. 

A year removed from a last-place finish in the American League Central, the Tigers can’t be faulted for making a move to improve their depth.

With that said, the signing will likely have ramifications when it comes to the team’s spending—or lack thereof—in the days ahead. 

“The reported agreement all but closes the door on a reunion with outfielder Yoenis Cespedes or the courtship of fellow big-name free-agent outfielder Alex Gordon, which seemed to be a possibility should their markets slip this winter,” the Detroit Free Press‘ Anthony Fenech noted. 

Aviles is unlikely to produce staggering numbers, but he’s a low-risk, high-reward signing at this stage in his career who can offer stability at several spots as the Tigers seek to claw back into the playoffs. 

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Former No. 1 overall pick Matt Bush has been afforded a shot at redemption by the Texas Rangers. 

According to the Dallas Morning News‘ Evan Grant, the Rangers signed the right-handed pitcher to a minor league contract after the top pick in the 2004 draft spent almost three years in jail following a serious hit-and-run DWI incident. The deal does not include an invitation to spring training at the major league level.

The 29-year-old had reportedly been serving the final nine months of his sentence in a work-release program and set his sights on a potential return to baseball during that time. 

Based on his lengthy history of legal trouble that also includes an alleged spat with security guards, Bush will be under the microscope upon returning to the sport, per Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram: 

According to Grant, Bush’s history has placed him in the minor league drug and alcohol testing program. The Rangers will also operate with a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to any future infractions. 

“I think my future is as bright as I can make it,” Bush said, per Grant. “I wake up each day in a positive state of mind. Now, I’ve got a pretty cut-and-dried approach to things. I want to be part of the game. I want to be a role model. I want to make the most of this opportunity.”

After being drafted No. 1 overall as a shortstop by the San Diego Padres over a decade ago, Bush spent time in the Toronto Blue Jays system before landing with the Tampa Bay Rays prior to his DWI. According to the Tampa Bay Times‘ Joe Smith, he was involved in three hit-and-run DWI crashes the day of his arrest. 

While it would be hard to have high expectations for Bush after such a long stretch out of the sport, Wilson noted he still has some gas left in the tank:

A quick move up the organizational ladder in a relief role would be surprising, to say the least, but Bush clearly has the raw physical chops necessary to turn some heads. If he can piece the rest of it together and maintain a clear focus on developing a prosperous career, he could wind up being one of the feel-good stories of the upcoming campaign. 

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The Chicago White Sox signed right-handed pitcher Nate Jones to a three-year, $8 million extension Friday, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. By inking the new deal, Jones will forego his final two years of arbitration eligibility. 

The White Sox announced Jones’ deal includes two club options and a mutual option. On a yearly basis, Jones is slated to earn $900,000 in 2016, $1.9 million in 2017 and $3.95 million in 2015, according to the club. 

The team option in 2019 is valued at $4.65 million, and the 2020 option clocks in at $5.15 million, per the White Sox. The mutual option for 2021 tops out at $6 million. In the event either club option is declined, the team announced Jones will receive a buyout worth $1.25 million. 

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn commented on the move Friday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times‘ Daryl Van Schouwen: 

Jones suffered a UCL tear in July 2014 that required Tommy John surgery, but he rehabilitated and returned in time to pitch during the home stretch of the 2015 season. 

In 19 appearances, Jones posted a 3.32 ERA, 27 strikeouts and just six walks. He also allowed a meager 12 hits over the span of 19 innings. 

Working with a solid two-pitch combo, Jones impressed with his fastball first and off-speed stuff second. According to FanGraphs, Jones turned to his two-seam fastball 54.1 percent of the time last season while mixing in his slider at a 43.8 percent clip. 

Jones’ fastball clocked in at an average speed of 97.5 mph, per FanGraphs, and that kind of velocity could thrust him into a bigger role down the line, according to RotoWorld.com’s Matthew Pouliot: 

Signing Jones may not draw tremendous praise beyond the South Side, but it’s a savvy, team-friendly deal that could pay dividends so long as the 29-year-old can stay healthy.

Don’t be surprised if Jones claims a larger role in the back-end of Chicago’s bullpen now that the team has reiterated its confidence in his abilities.     

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Cleveland Indians pitcher Cody Anderson underwent an emergency appendectomy, but the procedure likely won’t sideline him for long, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. 

Continue for updates. 

Anderson’s Recovery Estimated at 2-4 Weeks

Wednesday, Dec. 16    

According to Merkin, Anderson had the surgery Tuesday at St. Joseph’s Westgate Medical Center in Glendale, Arizona, and is slated to jump back into his offseason training program once he’s recovered fully. 

The 25-year-old made his MLB debut on June 21 last season and proceeded to make 15 starts for the Indians. Over the course of 91.1 innings, Anderson went 7-3 with 44 strikeouts, 24 walks and a 3.05 ERA. 

Anderson also posted a mark of 2.4 wins above replacement during his first MLB go-around, according to Baseball-Reference.com. 

Merkin noted Anderson will likely slot in as a component of the Indians’ deep starting rotation in 2016. 

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The Chicago Cubs nabbed utility man Ben Zobrist on a four-year, $56 million deal Tuesday, according to USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, and they wasted no time finding a taker for infielder Starlin Castro once that deal was finalized. 

The New York Post‘s Joel Sherman was first with the news of Chicago’s trade with the New York Yankees, and he broke down the move from both sides: 

MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince confirmed the deal shortly before the Yankees made it official. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported pitcher Adam Warren and infielder Brendan Ryan were shipped to the Cubs in return for Castro. 

Since debuting with the Cubs in 2010, Castro has been selected to the All-Star Game three times (2011, 2012 and 2014). But after batting .292 with 65 RBI while tying a career high with 14 home runs in 2014, Castro experienced a bit of a down year. 

Over 151 appearances, Castro batted .265 with 11 home runs and 69 RBI while stealing just five bases. Additionally, Castro’s offensive wins above replacement total dipped from 3.0 in 2014 to 0.9 in 2015, according to Baseball-Reference.com. 

“You know how baseball is,” Castro said on July 21, according to ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers. “It’s up and down. I have to keep grinding it out.”

While those numbers were concerning to a degree, it’s evident the Yankees saw an opportunity to snag a 25-year-old talent entering his prime who’s under team control through 2020. 

According to Spotrac.com, Castro is due $7 million in 2016, $9 million in 2017, $10 million in 2018 and $11 million in 2019 before he’s due a $16 million club option in 2020. 

Jack Curry of the YES Network broke down the financial impact of Tuesday’s deal: 

Furthermore, Castro experienced a revival at the plate throughout the second half of the season. Following the All-Star break, Castro hit .295 with a .319 on-base percentage. He primarily played second base for the last two months of the season, which means Zobrist will likely fill in there while Addison Russell starts at shortstop for the Cubs.

With the Yankees, Castro is expected to start at second base since Didi Gregorius occupies the shortstop post.

His shaky first half to 2015 aside, Castro has proved capable of batting in the .290-.300 range, as the 2010, 2011 and 2014 seasons indicated. And at this rate, it’s realistic to expect those campaigns to be the rule, not the exception. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless noted otherwise. 

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The MLB hot stove is cooking with gas, which means rumors are flying in every direction now that the 2015 winter meetings are in full swing in Nashville, Tennessee. 

So without wasting any time, here’s a rundown of where some of the hottest names in baseball could be headed in the coming minutes, hours and days. 

Yankees, Cubs Talking Castro Trade

Starlin Castro has been a hot trade candidate since hitting a rough patch at the plate during the 2015 season, and the New York Yankees appear intrigued by the possibility of adding the 25-year-old to their infield. 

Rosenthal provided an update on talks between the Yankees and Chicago Cubs:     

Joel Sherman of the New York Post provided rationale for why the Yankees would consider pouncing on Castro: 

The Yankees have Didi Gregorius penciled in at shortstop, but they have a void to fill at second base. And in that regard, Castro makes perfect sense.

As Sherman noted, Castro bounced back beautifully over the season’s homestretch, and his ability to provide a steady glove at second would be invaluable to a team that finished 27th in defense runs saved, per FanGraphs.  

Castro is also under team control through the 2019 season at $37 million total before he’s presented with a $16 million club option in 2020, per Spotrac.com. Considering how cheap that deal is relative to Castro’s All Star-caliber performance, the Yankees would be silly not to pull the trigger if Chicago’s asking price is reasonable. 

New York’s second basemen combined to tally an MLB-low 122 hits last season, per ESPN.com, and Castro could bolster what’s already a potent Yankees lineup. 

Rangers Shopping Prince Fielder?

Prince Fielder bounced back in a big way throughout the 2015 season, and the Texas Rangers are reportedly looking to parlay the power hitter’s resurgence into a salary dump, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News: 

However, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels offered a swift reply to Grant’s report, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s Jeff Wilson: 

Whether the Rangers are looking to trade Fielder or not, it would be hard to fault them for entertaining the idea. The designated hitter is coming off a stellar season that saw him bat .305 with 23 home runs and 98 RBI.

As a result, rival teams could view Fielder in a more favorable light. Thus, it would behoove the Rangers to try to get ahead of an eventual decline and try to see if another squad would be interested in eating up a portion of Fielder’s contract. According to Spotrac.com, Fielder is due $24 million every season through 2020.  

Fielder, 31, has plenty of value as a basher of baseballs, but now that he’s on the wrong side of 30 with $120 million guaranteed coming his way, it would be a tad shocking to see a team swoop in and willingly take on such a hefty financial burden. 

Angels in the Market for Outfield Help

FoxSports.com’s Jon Morosi reported the Los Angeles Angels are engaged in “ongoing conversations” with the representatives for free-agent outfielder Justin Upton, but the American League West contenders could be in the market to make a smaller move to bolster their outfield depth. 

According to MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez, the Angels have one of the Philadelphia Phillies’ youngsters in their sights: 

Cody Asche split his time between third base and left field last season, and he acquitted himself nicely after the arrival of heralded rookie Maikel Franco pushed him to the outfield. 

According to Baseball-Reference.com, Asche posted a .982 fielding percentage in left field while batting .245 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI. Factor in his team-friendly contract, ability to fill in at third base and untapped potential at just 25 years old, and Asche could be a nice, cheap get for an Angels team looking to pad its roster with some young talent. 

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The Boston Red Sox made their seven-year, $217 million commitment to starting pitcher David Price official Friday with a press conference at Fenway Park, and the southpaw had plenty of positive things to say about joining the franchise after closing out the 2015 season with the Toronto Blue Jays. 

“I’m thrilled,” Price said, according to MLB.com’s Cash Kruth. “I’m ready to be a Red Sox and I’m ready to help this team and this city win.”

Fox Sports MLB provided a snapshot of Price donning his new uniform for the first time: 

Speaking with the media, Price reiterated his desire to emerge as the centerpiece of Boston’s rotation, according to MLB.com’s Ian Browne: 

Price was shipped to the Blue Jays by the Detroit Tigers in advance of the 2015 trade deadline, and his production north of the border was well worth the price Toronto paid for the half-season rental.

During his brief stint with the Blue Jays, Price went 9-1 with a 2.30 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 87 strikeouts and just 18 walks. However, Price’s effectiveness waned in the playoffs. 

After the Blue Jays captured their first American League East title since 1993, Price went 1-2 in four postseason appearances. His lone win came in Game 4 of the ALDS, when he came on in relief of R.A. Dickey to help keep Toronto’s hopes alive and push the series to a fifth and final game. However, all three of his playoff starts resulted in losses. 

Now 2-7 in career playoff appearances, Price joked with reporters that he’s been playing the long game when it comes to posting tallies in the win column, per Fox Sports MLB:

“When you can bring one of the best pitchers in baseball, a true No. 1, it makes you better in so many ways,” Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said, per Kruth. “Not just on the field, but off the field, in the clubhouse. What David brings to us is a plus in so many ways.”

The Tigers, Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays all leaned on Price to produce in big spots, so rising to the challenge in a high-profile market like Boston may not faze him. 

“It’s not as if Price has never pitched in high-pressure environments,” Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer wrote. “He’s played almost exclusively on winning teams throughout his career, getting quite a bit of postseason experience as a result. Also, his many years as an AL East pitcher granted him plenty of exposure in New York and, of course, Boston.”

A positive first step for Price will be leading Boston back to the postseason. The Red Sox have recorded back-to-back last-place finishes in the AL East, and they have occupied the cellar for three of the last four seasons. 

The lone exception came during the team’s 2013 championship run, but that season was evidently an abnormality. Boston has missed the playoffs in five of six seasons since the start of the decade, and it needs Price to twirl some magic in hopes of bucking that trend and kicking off a new era of prosperity at Fenway Park. 

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