Red Sox could cut ties with Aroldis Chapman in trade with Mariners

The Boston Red Sox are not out of contention yet, but if they struggle in the coming weeks, they could end up becoming sellers near the July 31 trade deadline.

If the Red Sox do become sellers, they will have a few players generating trade interest. However, perhaps no player is a more likely trade candidate than Aroldis Chapman. He is having a stellar season and will be a free agent after the year.

Many contenders would gladly take Chapman in their bullpen. Newsweek's Tim Crowley suggested the Red Sox could trade Chapman to the Seattle Mariners if they are out of contention.

"If the Red Sox are to trade Chapman to an American League contender, it likely won't be one in the East," wrote Crowley. "Instead, the Mariners, who could still benefit from a bat more at the deadline, could see Chapman as an extra piece to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and just the second time since 2001."

Andrés Muñoz has actually been great for the Mariners as the closer. He has a 1.13 ERA and 19 saves on the year. The Mariners' bullpen is top 10 in ERA this season overall as well.

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However, adding Chapman would give them two elite arms at the backend of their bullpen. Chapman and Muñoz would be able to start putting games away in the eighth inning. Chapman is a seven-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion and a Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award winner. He has a 1.29 ERA with 15 saves this year.

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