The New York Yankees appear to have their new closer locked in and ready to go, as the team has come to a one-year accord with Aroldis Chapman -- avoiding an arbitration hearing.
Via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
Source: Chapman and #Yankees settle at $11.325M - $275K over midpoint - avoiding arbitration.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 12, 2016
The team was expected to go in front of an arbitrator to do battle with Chapman's representation on February 19th, with a $4.1 million gap between the team's filing of $9 million and Chapman's $13.1 million request.
Rather than head into the arduous arbitration process, the team conceded some ground and moved the needle $275,000 over the midpoint between the two filings. Chapman, 27, made in the neighborhood of $8 million with the Reds last year. He is slated to become a free agent in 2017.
The fireballing lefty saved 33 games with a 1.63 ERA last year. New York gave up a package of non-elite prospects to land him, pushing Andrew Miller out of the Yankees' closer role and reslotting Dellin Betances into the seventh inning. There was some initial worry about Chapman's 2016 status after a domestic disturbance in October and allegations of abuse by his girlfriend.
However, authorities declined to press charges when called to the scene, and Florida authorities have indicated that they won't press charges at all.
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