The MLB Winter Meetings have officially come to a close in Washington D.C.! Some teams were vibrant and lively, some teams made small moves, and some just didn’t even make a peep. Yankees GM Brian Cashman knew he needed to address the team’s bullpen issues, signed two players; one is very familiar with the Bronx faithful.
Late Wednesday night, the Yankees re-signed fireball closer Aroldis Chapman to a 5-year deal worth a sweet $86 million. Cashman had made offers to both Chapman and Kenley Jansen earlier in the week, but it was Chapman who expressed his desire to return to New York. The 28-year-old Cuban missile started 2016 with the Yankees, but was traded to the World Series champion Chicago Cubs at the end of July for prospects, and then became a free agent following the fall classic.
Earlier that same day, Brian Cashman signed veteran 1B/OF Matt Holliday to a one-year deal worth $13 million, with an odd no-trade clause specifically directed at the Oakland Athletics. Holliday has been in the Majors since 2004, playing for the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals; winning a World Series with the Redbirds in 2011.
They were small moves, but the Yankees made some good headway at the Winter Meetings. The team still does have some work to do, namely adding an additional arm to the bullpen, but with Brian Cashman at the realm, it’s sure to be quite the interesting offseason for the New York Yankees.
