Aroldis Chapman

Willson Contreras has missed four straight with a bruised right hand.

Aroldis Chapman, who's dealing with a lat issue, should be cleared to pitch in the next day or two.

Some good Red Sox news.

Seydian Rafaela is expected to return on Wednesday.

So let's play, let's pretend there's a game Sunday.

Do you think Aroldis Chapman was gonna go two innings on Sunday? Or anybody of importance on Boston? So now there's no game Sunday, so Boston's gonna throw their best pitchers Friday and Saturday, you know, to get their work in.

So there's a lot of different layers to this that do not help the Cubs at all.

And I think, without saying it, Craig Counsell wanted this series moved to Tampa or somewhere else-

... for 2027, guys that are likely going to be drafted too high.

Our six nominees are Riley O'Brien, Raisel Iglesias, Yoan Andres Gomez, Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, and Jordan Romano.

Let's start with Riley O'Brien, who I think is the clear front runner in this category.

I mean, tons of saves this year, incredible first half of the season, but it's been downhill ever since May.

But just not as hard as these other guys.

Yeah.

1.95 ERA, 34 saves, and a 32% strikeout rate from, from, from Aroldis Chapman this year.

Sure.

And so you're going to be able to get into the bullpen a little bit quicker in Boston.

The bullpen without Aroldis Chapman, by the way, because he has his lat issue.

And the bullpen for the Red Sox is – solid without Chapman, but it's nothing special.

It's not as deep, that's for sure.

In the opposite category, we got three guys that we're going to be avoiding for 2027, guys that are likely going to be drafted too high.

Our six nominees are Riley O'Brien, Rysel Iglesias, Yoandris Gomez, Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, and Jordan Romano.

Let's start with Riley O'Brien, who I think is the clear frontrunner.

In this category.

Now I will say this.

In a wild card round, when you only have at most three games, to pitch Garrett Crochet in one game for two innings... might be a very, very impactful thing, particularly when you don't necessarily know what you have after Aroldis Chapman.

Right,

Miller.

I mean,

the best acquisition the Red Sox have made in free agency outside of Manny Ramirez is Aroldis Chapman.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, that is unbelievable.

I

mean, the best acquisition the Red Sox have made in free agency outside of Manny Ramirez is Aroldis Chapman.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, that is unbelievable.

He-

I mean, the best acquisition the Red Sox have made in free agency, outside of Manny Ramirez, is Aroldis Chapman.

Oh, yeah.

I mean-