PHOENIX, AZ – JUNE 01: Aroldis Chapman #54 of the Cincinnati Reds delivers a ninth inning pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 1, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona. Reds won 4-3. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

Yankees trade for Aroldis Chapman despite looming suspension possibility

The New York Yankees have added some heat to the bullpen. Aroldis Chapman is a New York Yankee according to multiple reports from baseball’s finest reporters on Monday.

Chapman, a four-time all-star with the Reds, had a 1.63 ERA and 1.146 WHIP this past season along with a 15.7 K/9 ratio working in his favor. In goes without saying Chapman will help boost the bullpen for the Yankees and allow the Yankees to shorten a number of games by an inning. It will cost the Yankees a few minor league prospects, but this is pretty much the norm for the Yankees, who are always in win-now mode and can ship off prospects for almost any key player they desire. The Yankees may have to pay Chapman about $13 million in 2016.

Of course, the addition of Chapman does not come without its share of baggage. Earlier this month Chapman was accused of deomstesic violence, which reportedly put a trade between the Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers on ice. At the time, the domestic violence accusation was thought to toss Champman’s trade value into the trash…

Enter the New York Yankees. The Yankees acquired Chapman under the assumption their new bullpen arm will serve some sort of suspension in 2016 as a result of the domestic violence accusatsion.

Given the smaller return for Chapman than anyone may have expected over the past couple oif years, it sure looks as though the Reds just wnated to cut ties with him and take whatever they could. And with the Yankees unable to really do anything to add to the starting rotation, adding depth in the bullpen is needed. How the Yankees handle the off-field drama in New York will be fascinating.

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.

Quantcast