In this MLB mock trade, the Boston Red Sox send their elite closer, Aroldis Chapman, to the Atlanta Braves.
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman pitches during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images We are now less than two months away from the August 3 MLB trade deadline.
It's starting to become clear for some teams whether they will be buyers or sellers by the deadline. One team that we expect to be a seller is the Boston Red Sox. Things have gone sideways for them this season, and they are currently sitting in last place in the AL East at 27-36 and 10.5 games out of first place.
He's been outstanding this season, and at 38 years old, with just a conditional mutual option remaining on his contract for 2027, he's a prime candidate to be traded. The Atlanta Braves are the best team in baseball and are essentially locks to be buyers at the deadline. While they already have one of the best bullpens in the league, the addition of Chapman could make them scary to deal with.
This move might not be great for Chapman's fantasy value. Not because we expect his production to decline, but because he might not be locked in as the closer. Despite the fact that he currently boasts a 0.46 ERA and has struck out 26 batters in 19.2 innings pitched with 13 saves and no blown saves, Atlanta would likely stick with Raisel Iglesias as their closer.
Iglesias has been great in his own right, posting a 0.87 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched and 13 saves in 13 attempts. Even if something were to happen to Iglesias, Robert Suarez might be the next man up, which makes it unlikely that Chapman will maintain the fantasy value he's been getting from saves. The strikeouts and usage otherwise should all stay on pace.
The prospects should have a quicker path to the majors by going to the Red Sox. Essenburg is likely still a few years away, regardless, but there is a chance that Braun could carve out a late-season role this year to gain some much-needed professional experience in Boston. That's very unlikely to happen in Atlanta, especially with them having a handful of injured pitchers expected back at some point in the summer.
The Braves could use another right-handed bat who could play either left field, shortstop, or DH, but strengthening an already great bullpen would give them a massive advantage over their opponents. They could be tough to deal with late in the season if they only need their starters to go five innings, then they can throw Dylan Lee, Suarez, Chapman, and Iglesias.
That's a World Series-caliber bullpen that can help mask any holes they might have in their banged-up starting rotation. Boston doesn't have a roster that can compete for a title this season, and they are a long shot to even close the gap on the final wild card spot. They need to reload with young talent, and it makes sense to move on from a 38-year-old relief pitcher.
He likely won't be in the league by the time the Red Sox have built a championship-caliber roster. Mark Morales-Smith is a father of five, a former college football scout and semi-pro football player. Morales-Smith is a long-time competitive fantasy football player with well over a decade of professional writing experience at multiple high-level sites, including Sports Illustrated, FullTime Fantasy, FantasySP, and more.
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