MLB Rumors: Proposed Deal Sends Aroldis Chapman Out West

Just when everyone thought his best days were behind him, a then-37-year-old Aroldis Chapman went out and had one of his best seasons in 2025 for the Boston Red Sox. He posted 32 saves, along with a stunning 1.17 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He earned his 8th All-Star nod.

Now, in 2026, he's on fire again, with three saves in six appearances, a 1.50 ERA and 0.66 WHIP through six innings. But his Boston Red Sox? They're not quite so hot. Their 7-11 start to the season has them tied for last in the AL East. Would they possibly consider trading their closer to get a solid prospect in return?

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report has proposed a trade that would send the fireballing Chapman to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Snakes are struggling to keep up with the red-hot LA Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the NL West. But their bullpen could use a little help. A 4.81 ERA in the 'pen leaves them in the lower end of the league. They're tied for fourth-most blown saves in baseball with five.

Enter the Cuban Missile.

Arizona Diamondbacks receive:

Aroldis Chapman, LHP

Boston Red Sox receive:

Kohl Drake, LHP, No. 12 D-Backs prospect

Paul Sewald has been off to a fast start for the D-Backs, with six saves. But at the age of 36, after two lost seasons, with his fastball velo in the 12th percentile, and his average exit velo in the 2nd percentile (yes, that means 98% of pitchers are giving up a better avg. exit velo than him), can this really keep up?

Chapman, however, who has been close to the 100th percentile in fastball velo throughout his career, can still sling it with high heat. He would be a huge boost to the Snakes' bullpen.

Drake is a pitching prospect the D-Backs picked up in the Merrill Kelly trade at last year's deadline. He displayed his promise a couple of weeks ago with five no-hit innings for Triple-A Reno. He's coming off a very rough start in his last game this week, which has soiled his numbers through four games. But the 6'5" lefty displayed enough dominance in that earlier start to earn Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week honors after that near-perfect outing.

Reuter calls him "an MLB-ready rotation option with middle-of-the-rotation upside."

From our viewpoint, it doesn't seem that's nearly enough to pry Chapman away from Boston. With second base still a weak spot in Boston, perhaps they'd be more inclined to make a pitch for Arizona's 4th-ranked prospect Tommy Troy. He's also "MLB-ready" according to MLB Pipeline.

Would the Red Sox take a Dustin Pedroia-type prospect for Chapman?

The line-drive hitting sparkplug Troy had an excellent year in the minors in 2025 with a .289 average and .833 OPS, while connecting for 15 homers and stealing 24 bases. This season, he's off to a .299 start, with 20 hits already through 17 games.

Let's see, have we ever seen a 5'9" gritty, high-energy, second baseman in Boston before who raps out line drives with a leg kick and steals bases? Seems like Troy would be an ideal target for the BoSox if they were to pursue a trade like this.