Aroldis Chapman: Do the Houston Astros Still Have a Chance?

Could the Houston Astros be Getting Kenley Jansen Instead of Aroldis Chapman?

Just when we thought it was safe for Houston Astros to put the dreams of Aroldis Chapman in a Stros uniform out of their head, news broke mid-afternoon that deal with the Dodgers, and the Reds don’t exactly have a deal yet. According to Reds Beat Writer Mark Sheldon, the deal is not complete between the Reds and Dodgers and that multiple teams could still be involved. Walt Jocketty also canceled the 5 pm media briefing, which could mean that things are still up in the air.

The reported deal for Chapman involving two unknown prospects appears to be on hold. There are several possible reasons why this deal has not become official, and I will highlight them below.

Another Team Has trumped the Deal

Sheldon said that other teams are involved, which means that the Dodgers may be competing against some surprise team jumping in to block the Dodgers from getting Chapman. Maybe the Giants decided that it was not in their best interests that Chapman goes to LA, so let’s give up our blue chip prospect. The Dodgers seem protective of their top three prospects, so maybe another team like the Astros or Giants decide to give up their blue chip prospect, i.e. A.J. Reed.

Multi-Team Trade in the Works

There has been much discussion that Kenley Jansen still wants to be the closer, so the Dodgers are creating a dumpster fire by acquiring a closer when the incumbent is still on the team. The Dodgers lost Greinke, so they were trying to make a splash by trading for the top closer available. With a disgruntled pitcher in Jansen, the Dodgers might be looking to flip him in a corresponding trade. With the hesitancy of the Dodgers with parting with their top prospects, they could be looking to flip some prospects acquired from a team like the Houston Astros to complete the trade. This would give the Astros and Dodgers a closer, with the Reds getting prospects from both teams.

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Reds Leaked the Trade to Increase Trade Package

In today’s social media world, maybe the Reds leaked the Dodgers trade to try to increase Jeff Luhnow’s offer. So Jocketty leaked to several sources that the deal was near complete, and the news grew legs and went crazy. This they could be a bargaining strategy that backfired for the Reds. Maybe Luhnow was offering two prospects, and the Reds leaked that to get Luhnow to throw in the third prospect.

Next: Houston Astros: Top 10 Starting Pitchers in Franchise History

Neither team has confirmed the reported trade, so us Astros fans have to sit patiently and wait to see how the Chapman drama unfolds. Would you be happy getting Jansen instead of Chapman? Let us know.