The Yankees traded closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs in exchange for former Yankees pitcher Adam Warren and three minor leaguers, the team announced Monday afternoon. The deal comes ahead of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.
From the Yankees’ standpoint, the centerpiece of the deal is 19-year-old minor league shortstop Gleyber Torres, but Warren, who had been demoted by the Cubs to Triple A, played a valuable role on the 2015 Yankees as as spot starter and in the bullpen. Warren will join the Yankees in Houston, where they begin a three-game series Monday night against the Astros.
The Yankees also receive outfield prospects Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford. Torres and Crawford will be assigned to the Yankees’ Single-A affiliate in Tampa and Crawford to Double-A Trenton.
Warren made one start with the Cubs this season. He was 3-1 with a 5.91 ERA in 29 games.
Since first joining the Cubs’ minor leagues in 2014, Torres is batting .285 with 14 home runs and 144 RBIs in 270 games through Sunday, July 24. He has a .358 on-base percentage and a .944 fielding percentage. Torres has yet to play above the Single-A Advanced level.
Chapman seemed resigned to being traded when he spoke at Yankee Sadium on Sunday. He had accompanied the team to Houston. Chapman, who is eligible to become a free agent after the season, had said he was informed by his agent that teams were talking to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
He wanted to remain with the Yankees. “Yeah, it’s tough, [I’m] so comfortable here,’’ he said. “I feel like part of the family here. Being traded halfway into the season is not as comfortable as starting there. Yeah, it’s tough.’’
Chapman has 20 saves in 21 opportunities for the Yankees this season, with a 2.01 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings. He joined the team in May following a Major League Baseball-imposed suspension for an alleged incident of domestic violence. The Yankees had obtained Chapman from the Reds last December for four minor leaguers after the Dodgers backed out of a deal because of the domestic violence allegations.
Will the Yankees, who are 4 1/2 games behind for the second wildcard, make additional deals to either bolster the team or trade away more big names?
“We will see,’’ a source familiar with their thinking said.
The Yankees announced mid-afternoon Monday that they recalled righthander Luis Severino from Triple-A.
..... - Newsday