It’s not a secret that the San Francisco Giants are looking to upgrade their bullpen. Per a report, the team is targeting free agent closer Aroldis Chapman, who finished the year with the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs.
The #SFGiants, who would love a big-time closer, are meeting now with representatives for free agent Aroldis Chapman.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 9, 2016
From a pure baseball standpoint, this is a perfect mix. With better relief pitching, the Giants may well have beaten the Cubs in the 2016 NLDS. If nothing else, a National League West division title would have been far more likely.
Of course, the next question is money. Earlier reports have suggested that Chapman is looking for $100 million (read more here). To land Chapman, San Francisco would likely need to win a bidding war with at least the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and the Cubs.
A $100 million deal for a closer may seem crazy for a closer. But with at least four big market teams doing the bidding, it’s not an unrealistic number.