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The Yankees-Cubs Recent Relationship Is An Interesting One
The New York Yankees-Chicago Cubs family tree has had a few intertwining branches recently.
The New York Yankees signing of former closer Aroldis Chapman to a record deal during the Winter Meetings marked the second time this year that a player traded to the Chicago Cubs has ended up back in the Bronx.
Not that the Cubs, recently crowned World Champions are hurting too badly. The Cubs roster is overflowing with young talent, giving them multiple options at many positions around the diamond, which is how the Yankees have become so involved with them in trade discussions over the past year.
Prior to the 2016 season, the Yankees still had a massive hole at second base from the departure of Robinson Cano two years previously. Cano, a five-time All Star in pinstripes, had been replaced with disappointments such as Brian Roberts and Steven Drew.
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Despite showing promise offensively, the Yankees were not quite keen on handing the everyday job to prospect Rob Refsnyder, possibly because of his shaky glove work. The Cubs, who had an influx of young infield prospects, made former All Star shortstop turned second baseman Starlin Castro available that winter.
The trade was simple enough. Going to Chicago was dependable reliever Adam Warren and seldom used backup infielder Brendan Ryan. Warren had worn many hats with New York as a long reliever, set up man and occasional starter. His flexibility was very valuable, but the Yankees needed a second baseman and were willing to part with him. Ryan, a throw in for financial reasons, was released by the Cubs soon after.
After losing Warren, the Yankees completed a trade with the Cincinnati Reds 20 days later that netted them elite closer Aroldis Chapman. The acquisition of Chapman cost the Yankees four minor league players of little promise.
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Chapman would be joining set up man Dellin Betances and the Yankees previous closer Andrew Miller to form a lethal back end of the bullpen. As long as the Yankees could keep a lead going into the seventh inning, they were practically invincible. It was a bullpen set up similar to the World Champion Reds of 1990, with Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton and Randy Myers nailing down the late innings.
However, the disappointing Yankees offense gave the shutdown pen few leads to protect and the team was falling out of contention near the trading deadline. New York, for the first time since the early 90’s, were sellers rather than buyers.
One team that was buying was the Chicago Cubs, and for an elite closer like Chapman, they were ready to deal away a number of top trade chips. Adam Warren, who had struggled during his brief stint in Chicago, ended returning to the Bronx, as well as top prospect Gleyber Torres.
Torres, who recently won the MVP in the Arizona Fall League this year, is regarded as a future star. Also in the deal, the Yankees acquired two other promising prospects in Rashad Crawford and Billy McKinney.
Chapman went on the win the World Series with the Cubs, a historic victory for a franchise that had last won the Fall Classic in 1908. Afterwards, Chapman became a free agent, and despite other suitors who had offered more money, signed a record five year deal for a closer to return to the Yankees.
The Yankees not only got three prospects and Adam Warren in return for two months of Chapman’s services, but in the end, they also retained the flame-throwing closer for the long haul.
To sum it up, in return for Starlin Castro, Gleyber Torres, Rashad Crawford and Billy McKinney, New York essentially had to give up Brendan Ryan and lend their Cubs a few months of two of their pitchers.
Light hitting Brendan Ryan only lasted a few weeks on the Cubs roster before he was gone. Adam Warren, used in the Castro trade, returned in the Chapman deal, and Chapman also returned via free agency. While the Cubs are World Champs and seemed poised for a dynasty, they have certainly been generous in their dealing with the Yanks. It seems worthwhile for Brian Cashman to call Theo Epstein more often.
