Chicago Cubs fans understandably get excited at the thought of adding a legendary flamethrower like Aroldis Chapman again— but let’s pump the brakes and look at the full picture before drooling over the box score.
For starters, Chapman is 37 years old and only on a one‐year deal with Boston. Yes, he’s been dominant this season (a 1.36 ERA with 14 saves and a 48:10 K/BB ratio in 33 innings), but even if he maintains that — and he may not in a new park or league — he has major baggage we can’t ignore. Chicago fans remember well that in 2016 Chapman joined the Cubs at the trade deadline and was an absolute ace — he posted a minuscule 1.01 ERA in 28 regular-season appearances and shut down the postseason. He helped give us that first World Series in 108 years, and we all cheered when he struck out the side in the ninth inning of Game 7. But as quickly as he arrived, he bolted — Chapman walked after the championship and signed a massive 5-year, $86 million contract with the Yankees that winter. In other words, he was always looking out for number one — and he’s still a free agent after this season.
Beyond his on-field excellence, Chapman carries serious off-field red flags. Remember back in October 2015 when he was investigated for domestic violence? Reports say he fired eight shots into his own garage and allegedly choked his girlfriend (no criminal charges were filed, but MLB did suspend him 30 games under its domestic violence policy). That isn’t ancient history — it’s the very reason we got a championship, ironically, because he had to miss games at the start of 2016. There’s plenty of Cubs fans who still feel uneasy about Chapman for exactly that reason, and any front office has to weigh the PR and moral implications of bringing him back. It’s a moral dilemma — on the one hand we all want to win and a front-line reliever is tempting; on the other, we have to ask ourselves what message we send by signing someone with that past. The facts from 2016 — shots fired, choking accusations, 30-game ban — are well-documented. No way around it — if we bring Chapman back, a portion of the fanbase will never get past that, which can’t be good for clubhouse chemistry or team image.
Even leaving aside the off-field issues, Chapman is not a magic bullet for the Cubs’ needs. Let’s look at the big picture. The Cubs have some glaring holes elsewhere — by consensus, starting pitching is at the top of the list right now. A front-end starter or two would do far more to improve the team than a rental reliever. Right behind pitching is adding a power bat — especially at third base or a corner outfield spot — since our offense has been average at best over the last month. Bench depth is another need (more platoon options, pinch-hitters, a backup corner infielder). A well-run trade deadline plan is focusing on those areas — giving us length in the rotation, a big bat or two, and sturdy bench pieces. If we trade for Chapman again we’re spending prospects to Boston for a short-term bullpen rental while those bigger issues linger. Bullpen help is a desire — but it’s lower priority than getting a starting pitcher and power bat. There are other bullpen options available outside of Chapman.
Speaking of the bullpen, consider who’s already here. Ryan Pressly came in as this year’s top closer, but he’s been wildly inconsistent — in fact he famously coughed up nine runs in one inning during an 11th-inning collapse against the Giants in early May. After that, Counsell moved Pressly to the earlier innings and handed the 9th to Porter Hodge, who was lights-out — until hitting the injured list with an oblique strain. So who’s left? Enter Daniel Palencia. This 25-year-old flame-thrower took over the job in mid-May and has been sensational. Palencia has a fastball that averages over 99 mph, and he’s used it to slam the door shut — he is 10 of 11 in save chances with a 1.74 ERA while striking out 35 batters in just 31 innings with a tiny 0.97 WHIP. That’s elite production. It’s not a fluke — he’s shown pinpoint control and electric stuff, far beyond the flash-in-the-pan we saw from some bullpen arms last year.
After Hodge went in the Injured list and Pressly was rattled for 9 runs, Palencia quietly become our closer of the future — and costing us essentially nothing extra. When a rookie steps up like that, it’s smart to ride the wave. The guy has earned our trust by shutting down the last outs of close games. In fact, the Cubs even acquired Palencia back in 2021 as part of the Andrew Chafin trade, and he’s only now finding his groove in the bigs. Hodge is back from the oblique strain; however, beyond Palencia and Pressly, if the team wants to trade for high-leverage options, there are smarter targets out there like the Rockies’ Jake Bird or the White Sox’s Steven Wilson who can bridge to the late innings. All that raises the question: why rob Peter to pay Paul by trading for Chapman, when we already have a closer who’s doing the job for us?
Of course you might counter: “But Chapman’s so good, wouldn’t he just make the pen even better?” Possibly, if he’s healthy and carries his form here. But the Cubs would have to give up real assets — or big money — and distract from bigger roster needs to get half a season of his services. Do we really want to spend a top arm on a rental reliever when we could instead shore up our rotation or get a bat who can change a lineup? And let’s be honest — Chapman’s performance, while excellent, is not the only way to lock down saves. Even if he maintains a sub-2.00 ERA, he’s not an angel (his WHIP and HR rates are higher than World Series-era Chapman), and he’s going to blow at least one save — maybe more — if history is any guide (after all, he already has one blown save this year). We’d be making a big move for diminishing returns.
Lastly, remember who else is on that Cubs roster and in the Minors — we have flame-throwing rookies like Cade Horton and Jordan Wicks starting to come up as depth arms, and Javier Assad expected back in the coming weeks. Also, there are folks like Michael Soroka or whoever Jed might pick up at the deadline to stabilize the rotation. All of that screams “add pitching depth,” not trade for an expensive reliever.
Here’s the thing, folks: Aroldis Chapman had his moment in blue and white pinstripes, but his return just isn’t the right play for Chicago in 2025. His on-field chops this season are clear, but so is his history off the field — and his short leash (he’ll be gone after this season anyway). We’d risk hurting the team’s culture and fan support for something we don’t truly need right now — especially since young Palencia is already filling that closer role so effectively. The Cubs are built on timing and momentum — chasing Chapman might look like a panicked move and could interrupt the development of our pitching staff.
With that… Why sideline our resources for six months of Chapman when those resources could help us get a frontline starter or a bat for next year? We Cubs fans are all about winning, but wisdom is needed too. Trade deadline time is coming, and Jed Hoyer knows just what we’ve been saying — fix the pitching and lineup then let the young guys ride. Let Chapman pitch another half-season in Boston or elsewhere — the Cubs have better fish to fry.
If you cannot play with them, then root for them,