Dodgers Rumored Trade Target Moved in Deal with Royals and Rangers
Knock one potential trade scenario off the board for the Dodgers as the deadline hot stove may have just kicked off early. In a surprise move, the Kansas City Royals have sent LHP Aroldis Chapman to the Texas Rangers in a deal for prospects.
The Royals announced the move on Twitter.
We have traded LHP Aroldis Chapman to the Texas Rangers in exchange for LHP Cole Ragans and OF Roni Cabrera.
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) June 30, 2023
Ragans, a 40-man roster player, has been optioned to Omaha (AAA) and Cabrera has been assigned to the Royals Dominican Summer League team.
The Dodgers were rumored to have interest in the veteran lefty reliever and would have gotten eyes on him tonight as the club kicks off a three game series in Kansas City. Now, with Chapman off the table, Andrew Friedman and company will keep a keen on another Royal reliever, Scott Barlow, who is reportedly on the trade block this summer.
Aroldis Chapman is in the middle of a renaissance season in 2023, posting a 2.45 ERA in 31 appearances mostly as a setup man for Barlow and the Royals. Now the 35-year-old joins the AL West leading Rangers who are looking like favorites to win the American League pennant this season.
This, of course, isn’t the first time the Dodgers and Chapman have been linked in rumors. There was reportedly a deal in the works for LA to acquire the then Reds closer in the 2015-2016 offseason but the Dodgers backed out as news of domestic violence issues with Chapman surfaced. He was traded to the New York Yankees and then later to the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline that year who went on the win the World Series that fall.
It’s uncertain if his past would have still played a role in LA’s interest in the reliever but now the possibility of a deal is gone.
