New York Yankees: Four takeaways from the Aroldis Chapman signing

The New York Yankees have brought Aroldis Chapman back to the Bronx and there is a lot to take into consideration. 

Aroldis Chapman will be officially closing games for the New York Yankees in 2017 — as he signed a five-year, $86 million contract on Wednesday night.

Last season, the Cuban Missle pitched in 31 games for New York, recording 20 saves while striking out 44 batters in 31.1 innings of work.

He was then dealt to the Chicago Cubs on July 25, 2016, where he would give up just three earned runs in 26.2 innings (1.01 ERA) and played an integral part in their first World Series win wince 1908.

Overall, he recorded 36 saves and maintained a strikeout per nine ratio of 14, tied with Kyle Barraclough for fifth-highest among major league relievers in 2016.

But what does this mean for the Yankees, who have seemed to make their big move of the winter? ESNY breaks down everything one must consider with the signing of Chapman:

The Yankees Have The Best In The Game

This is an arguable statement, but Aroldis Chapman is the best closer today’s game has to offer.

Among qualified relievers since 2011, the flamethrowing lefty has:

• the most strikeouts (617)
• third most saves (182)
• second-lowest ERA (2.08)
• lowest batting average against (.153)
• lowest slugging percentage against (.227)
• most strikeouts per nine innings (15.27)
• highest average fastball velocity (99 m.p.h)

To show you an eye-opening comparison, Mariano Rivera recorded 215 saves, maintained a 2.16 ERA, struck out 427 batters while giving up 20 home runs in his first five full years.

Chapman has 182 saves, a 2.08 ERA, has struck out 617 batters and has only surrendered 19 home runs.

So, while $86 million does seem high, Cashman just signed one of the better ninth inning door-slammers in the game expected to dominate in the Bronx for five years.

Cashman Pulled Off A Haul

The signing of Chapman was clearly a move endorsed by Hal Steinbrenner. He loved the buzz he created and the flames that lit up Yankee Stadium in the ninth.

However, one must give a ton of credit to Brian Cashman on how he handled getting Chapman in the first place, to now and everything in between.

First off, he was acquired off the clearance rack in the offseason of 2015 from the Cincinnati Reds for Rookie Davis, Eric Jagielo, Caleb Cotham and Tony Renda.

Obviously, that was because of his alleged domestic violence incident but then Cashman shipped him to Chicago for Rashad Crawford, Billy McKinney, Adam Warren and Gleyber Torres — currently their top infield prospect.

He then became a free agent before signing with the Yankees late Wednesday night.

So, essentially speaking, Cashman traded Brendan Ryan to the Cubs for Starlin Castro, Torres, Warren, McKinney and Crawford and still brought the games best closer back.

Say what you want about Cashman but he has put New York in a great position to sustain years of winning with the handling of every deal that has taken place.

Too Much? 

I threw the Rivera comparison up there, so why not do it again?

The most cash the sport’s all-time saves leader made in a single season was $15 million while Chapman will earn $17.2 million over the next five seasons.

Chapman’s deal also destroys Mark Melancon’s record of $62 million given to a relief pitcher by $24 million. 

Is it worth it? Well, Melancon actually had a higher win probability added in 2016 and since 2013, Melancon has maintained a 1.80 ERA compared to Chapman’s 1.93 while giving up three fewer home runs, 59 fewer walks and a higher strikeout to walk ratio in 48 more innings of work.

They are also committing five years to a player who, at this point, is a luxury and not a necessity for an in-between team, but we’ll get into that in the next slide.

Spotrac estimated his market value to be able to wheel in a four-year, $56 million. He has surpassed that by one year and a staggering $30 million.

Overpaid? One could surely assert that at this moment.

What Does This Mean For The Rebuild?

The signing of a $86 million closer in the midst of a rebuild brings the direction of it into serious question.

Even with Chapman’s contract on the books, New York may still be able to reach their goal of getting under the luxury tax threshold by 2018.

However, $17.2 million for a closer with little to no promise that his 99 m.ph. average fastball will still be blowing up radar guns when the Yankees are ready to compete is just flat-out dangerous.

Especially when the rotation — which finished tenth in the AL with a 4.44 ERA — and middle relief unit haven’t been upgraded in any way shape or form.

Or how about an offense cluttered with question marks? No one is quite sure how much Matt Holliday will contribute but the Yankees are still banking on Gary Sanchez to continue his surge, Greg Bird to recover flawlessly and Aaron Judge to figure things out.

So, sure, it’s admittedly is fun to have a lights-out closer and nasty set-up man, but even the three-headed monster wasn’t beneficial when the offense, rotation and other relievers can’t get the ball in their hands.

And this move was highly influenced by an unsupported theory that three-time All-Star Dellin Betances — who owns a .166 batting average against since 2014 — couldn’t get the job done as a closer with a capable setup man in Tyler Clippard behind him.

Speaking of Betances, if he proves his last September was nothing but a fluke, the cost will be too much to pay both he and Chapman by the time Betances hits the market in 2019 — when New York will be primed to compete.

It’s not all corrupt. Like I said, Chapman is the genuinely the best closer this game has to offer and when you throw in the haul only to bring Chapman back as a free agent was astonishingly intelligent.

However, the Yankees are nowhere near a World Series at this moment. And while throughout the five years Chapman is here — which includes a full no-trade clause for the first three years and a limited no-trade in his final years — they might be, overpaying in years, money and the inability to perceive if he’ll be elite as he’s been for five years hinders that chance.

This might be a move that comes back to bite them… Or it may not.

Part of what makes Chapman so good is his ability to shorten the distance between the mound and home plate while using his powerful lower body to heave the ball 105 m.p.h.

If you watch closely, there is very little torque that goes on his left arm. So although one can attest that he will flare out, one can’t be sure he won’t as well.

In the end, we’ll have to see this play out. There are a lot of positives to consider and a lot of negatives that may persuade one to declare this a failure already.

Yes, the rebuilding Yankees just gave a closer $86 million and a ton of commitment and while that seems absurd, we have five years to revisit the question and validate an answer.