Reds agree to trade Chapman to Dodgers

CONSOLATION PRIZE: The Dodgers weren’t done after the Chapman talks.

The Cincinnati Reds agreed to trade hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman to the Los Angeles Dodgers, pending approval of medical records, according to a person familiar with the deal.

Chapman’s attorney, Jay Reisinger, told Yahoo Sports that they “vehemently deny the allegations as stated”, but Major League Baseball still plans to investigate the incident under the new domestic violence policy.

Chapman’s driver said over the phone after the incident that Chapman’s girlfriend “returned to the theater room, charging at Chapman and tackled him”.

Yahoo Sports reported Chapman’s girlfriend told police he “choked” her and pushed her against a wall during an argument at his Miami-area home in October.

According to Yahoo, the hiccup that held the deal up was the Dodgers learning of this alleged incident. One, adding Chapman to the bullpen that already includes Kenley Jansen and Chris Hatcher, the Dodgers have their own version of the Royals and Yankee bullpen.

The Dodgers did sign Hisashi Iwakuma this weekend, but it’s safe to say their 2016 rotation (barring anything dramatic) will most likely not attain the incredibly lofty heights reached by Greinke and Clayton Kershaw last season. Among those who had appeared in at least 300 games, Chapman has the highest rate of strikeouts per nine innings (15.4) and Jansen (13.98) is third. The Dodgers’ setup pitchers were so inconsistent that Greinke and Kershaw routinely worked seven or eight innings per start (or more) during the season and had exhausted arms during the postseason. If the team doesn’t have leads late into games, why should the Dodgers have Chapman in the first place? I thought for sure the Astros would trade for Chapman as they have the bigger need and have the prospects to make a trade work. “I wish I had more for you, but I think it would be reckless to say anything more”.

“Haven’t seen a whole lot, but when he’s healthy, he’s as good as anyone”, Roberts said of Iwakuma.

Ricco said the club hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing back Tyler Clippard, who posted a 3.06 ERA over 32 games after joining the Mets ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.