Report: Yankees, Dodgers, Marlins awaiting word from Chapman, Jansen
With Mark Melancon officially off the market after signing a four-year, $62-million contract with the San Francisco Giants, fellow closers Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen remain atop the free-agent market for relievers, and so far, three teams appear in be in a dogfight for their services.
The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Miami Marlins - who've frequently been linked to the two closers - are all awaiting word from Chapman and Jansen on where they intend to sign, reports Jon Heyman of FanRagSports.
Chapman appears to be the top choice of the Yankees, while the Dodgers would prefer Jansen, and the Marlins would be happy with either, Heyman adds.
However, the Marlins aren't feeling great about their chances of landing Jansen, reports Mark Saxon of ESPN.
Both players will most certainly command multi-year deals eclipsing the money Melancon received, after the pair continued to post dominant numbers in 2016 as two of the game's best finishers.
| PLAYER | IP | SV | SVO | ERA | SO | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aroldis Chapman | 58 | 36 | 39 | 1.55 | 90 | 2.7 |
| Kenley Jansen | 68 2/3 | 47 | 53 | 1.83 | 104 | 3.2 |
| Mark Melancon | 71 1/3 | 47 | 51 | 1.64 | 65 | 1.8 |
Chapman would "love to be a Yankee again" after he received "first class" treatment from the organization last season, while Jansen has spent his entire career with the Dodgers after they originally signed him as an undrafted catcher in 2005.
The 28-year-old Chapman posted a 1.55 ERA across 59 appearances for the Yankees and Chicago Cubs last season, saving 36 games and striking out 90 hitters in 58 innings.
Jansen, 29, finished the 2016 campaign with 47 saves, a 1.83 ERA, and a 13.6 strikeout-per-nine innings rate.