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There doesn’t appear to be too much smoke when it comes to Aroldis Chapman returning to the Texas Rangers. Even with needs in the bullpen, it seems the World Series champions aren’t planning a reunion with the “Cuban Missile.”
Much of the relief focus during the offseason has been on the Josh Hader pursuit. The Rangers did add Kirby Yates to the bullpen in early December.
What does that leave Chapman? Sure, the flame-throwing lefty was shaky at times, especially in the playoffs. Six strikeouts to five walks in 8.0 postseason doesn’t inspire much confidence.
But mostly maneuvered his way out of trouble when it mattered. And he did strike out 50 in just 29 regular-season innings for Texas after a trade from the Kansas City Royals.
MLB.com published a list of six free agents who are better than you think. Chapman made the cut with the following breakdown:
For casual baseball fans who hadn’t checked in on Chapman since he was the dominant pitcher he was with the Yankees, it might have been a little jarring to see him with the Rangers in the playoffs. He looked physically different, he was missing the plate, he was barely escaping jams, and it looked like a blowup was imminent. But it’s worth noting: The blowups did not end up happening – Chapman walked out of that postseason with a World Series ring, don’t you know – and also, during the regular season, Chapman was actually pretty close to his old self. His strikeout rate with the Rangers and Royals was as high as it has been in a decade, he didn’t give up a single homer in 29 1/3 innings with the Royals, and his fastball velocity was in the top percentile of all pitchers. He’s not who he was a decade ago. But he’s closer than you think. And he won’t cost you Hader prices either.
Rangers manager Chris Young said early in the offseason that the club is keeping tabs on all its free agents. Several key contributors have signed elsewhere, including Mitch Garver, Martín Pérez and one-time closer Will Smith. The Rangers also lost reliever Chris Stratton.
Chapman could be another to go or perhaps a door opens for a return.
More must-reads:
- Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
- All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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ESPN Predicts Mets-Twins Trade One Week Before Deadline
The New York Mets are a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, but their pitching staff is still injury-ravaged despite the recent returns of Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Brandon Waddell (hip), Dedniel Nuñez (elbow), Max Kranick (flexor), Paul Blackburn (shoulder), Tylor Megill (elbow), Griffin Canning (Achilles), Drew Smith (elbow), A.J. Minter (lat), Danny Young (elbow), and Christian Scott (elbow) are alll on the Mets' IL. The MLB Trade Deadline is July 31 at 6 p.m. EST, so the front office has one week to add healthy arms from around the league this season. ESPN's David Schoenfield predicted on Thursday that New York would trade for a Minnesota Twins reliever. "One guarantee of the trade deadline: The Mets will add to the bullpen, probably with more than one trade. Though the rotation still ranks fifth in ERA, that was built off a hot start," he wrote. "More importantly, the only Mets starter to complete six innings since June 7 has been David Peterson. As a result, manager Carlos Mendoza has run relievers Reed Garrett, Huascar Brazoban, Jose Butto and Ryne Stanek into the ground. The bullpen had a 2.78 ERA through May, but that figure is over 5.00 since the beginning of June (ranking near the bottom of the majors)." "The Twins have two high-profile relievers in [Jhoan] Duran and [Griffin] Jax, both of whom are under team control through 2027, so they'll be much more expensive than your usual short-term relievers if the Twins decide to trade one or both," he continued. "Duran would be harder to deal -- but bring more in return -- so we'll say Jax will go. Don't be fooled by his 4.09 ERA: He has 68 strikeouts and 12 walks in 44 innings with a 97-mph heater. He's an elite strikeout reliever, the type you want on the mound in October." The Mets are hot despite their injuries, as they're on a four-game winning streak and just swept the Los Angeles Angels. Next up is a road trip against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. New York right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (8-5, 3.48 ERA) will face Giants right-hander Logan Webb (9-7, 3.08 ERA) on Friday.
Nick Saban responds to speculation about coaching return amid NFL rumors
Shortly after former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and current college football analyst Greg McElroy shared that someone "in the know" believes there's a possibility Nick Saban — who retired in January 2024 — might return to coaching, NFL insider Albert Breer suggested that the Dallas Cowboys could be a potential destination for the seven-time national champion. According to Mike Rodak of 247Sports, Saban was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he intends to come out of retirement. "No, I'm really happy with what I'm doing right now," Saban responded. "It's exciting to still be involved in the game. It's exciting for me to work with athletic directors, conference commissioners, people in Congress to preserve the integrity of our game and continue to be able to create opportunities to help young people create value for their future that will help them be successful in their life, which is what we always try to do as a coach." Saban, now working as an ESPN analyst, will be 74 in October. Per Christian Datoc of the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump could consider having Saban "lead a new commission examining problems arising with the growth of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and coinciding changes to the NCAA transfer process." Meanwhile, it's thought that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could look to hire a big-name candidate if first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer fails to impress during the 2025 campaign. Additionally, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd recently hinted that Saban could be interested in becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns if the team selects Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the first pick in the 2026 draft. "There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching," Saban added during Friday's segment. "I enjoy what I'm doing. I did it for 50 years. I loved it. I loved the relationships with the players. I loved the competition. But it's another station of life now. I enjoy what I'm doing right now and want to continue to do it — spend more time with my family, my grandchildren, my children. It's been really, really good." The "right now" portion of Saban's comments attracted the attention of Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who was quick to point out he did not say "no for good" regarding a return to coaching. In short, it seems that rumors about Saban's future could hover over the college and pro football communities through at least the rest of the year.
76ers unexpectedly waive veteran guard despite career season
The Sixers are waiving Ricky Council IV, the team announced in a press release. Council signed a four-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Sixers in 2024, which contained a team option for the 2026-27 season. Last season, he averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.1 minutes per night — all career-high numbers. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports notes that the timing of the move was unexpected, given that Council’s guarantee date is on Jan. 10, 2026, and the team currently has an open roster spot if they need it to add restricted free agent Quentin Grimes. While Council struggled with his three-point shot last season, he emerged as a reliable depth contributor, playing a team-high 73 games while bringing athleticism and energy from the wing positions.
Report: Dolphins sign promising CB who has had off-field issues
The Miami Dolphins lost another cornerback when Artie Burns suffered a torn ACL on the first day of training camp, and they may have found a potential replacement. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that the Dolphins have agreed to a deal with former Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones. The Dolphins were already thin at the cornerback position before Burns was lost for the year. They released Kendall Fuller after the 2024 season and traded former All-Pro Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers last month. Jones is a talented player, but character concerns have followed him throughout his career. He played in all 17 games for the Raiders last season, making 16 starts. Jones had 69 total tackles and three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Despite his solid play, Jones was cut by Las Vegas in April. The Raiders had claimed Jones off waivers midway through the 2023 season after he was cut by the New England Patriots, likely because of his off-field issues. Then-Patriots head coach Bill Belichick suspended Jones at the end of the 2022 season for a violation of team rules. Several months later, Jones was arrested at Logan Airport in Boston on gun-related charges. Jones, 27, was also criticized over his perceived lack of effort during some games with Las Vegas. But the Dolphins are desperate, and Jones has plenty of upside. The former fourth-round pick out of Arizona State has shown he is worthy of being a starter when his focus is solely on football. Miami is hoping to get that version of Jones.
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