Reds GM believes teams will be interested in closer Chapman
The Cincinnati Reds are willing to listen to trade proposals for closer Aroldis Chapman, and team GM Dick Williams believes there will be plenty of interest in the closer.
Williams told MLB.com Saturday that he wasn't worried about the Boston Red Sox acquiring Craig Kimbrel in a trade with the San Diego Padres, taking the AL East team out of the closer market.
"We didn't feel like we missed out on a deal with them," Williams told MLB.com regarding the Red Sox. "There will be other teams that are interested in Chapman.
"I don't control who is out there or who will be interested. We feel that there are other offers. We feel that he's the best closer out there, so [we] hope good stuff can happen."
Chapman is entering his final season under team control and will be eligible for arbitration — Kimbrel's contract is through 2018. After next year Chapman will be a free agent, which means any team trying to deal for him would risk giving up assets for just one year of the closer's services. That limits the market for Chapman, but when it comes to a player as talented as he is, teams will be interested.
Chapman recorded 33 saves in 36 opportunities last season with a 1.63 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings. He only blew two saves in 2014 and has 546 career strikeouts in 319 innings.
MLB.com reported Detroit, Arizona, Houston and Miami are among the clubs seeking a new closer.
In addition to Chapman, the Reds are said to be shopping Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce, and they also reportedly are open to trading Todd Frazier and Joey Votto as part of their massive rebuild.
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