Chapman: No truth to opt-out report
NEW YORK — Yankees closer Aroldis Champan called a report that he would be exercising the opt-out clause in his contract with the Yankees at the end of the season “completely false” on Wednesday before the scheduled game between the Yankees and Tampa Bay was rained out.
Chapman inked a five-year deal with the Yankees for $86 million in 2017. The provisions of the deal would allow him to opt out and become a free agent after the 2019 season. He would have two seasons at a total of approximately $35 million left on the current deal.
Closer Craig Kimbrel recently signed with the Cubs for $43 million over three years indicating there could be a favorable market for Chapman.
“I haven’t even spoken to my agent about it,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “Like I said before, we have a big task in front of us, which is to win the division and win the World Series. That’s the main focus for me right now. Contract stuff hasn’t even crossed my mind at all.”
The Yankees and Tampa Bay will play a single-admission doubleheader Thursday after Wednesday night’s game was postponed because of a forecast for severe weather. It will slightly alter the Yankees’ rotation.
The Yankees initially planned to pitch Domingo German and J.A. Happ in the last two games of the series against the Rays. German (11-2, 3.40 ERA) will start the 3 p.m. opener Thursday, but Happ will not start the second game.
Happ will not take the mound until Friday night, when the Yankees host the Rockies, and Wednesday’s postponement moved all of the Yankees’ starters back one day. Masahiro Tanaka originally was scheduled to open the series with Colorado but instead will pitch Saturday.
The Yankees are likely to use an opener strategy and pitch the second game entirely with relief pitchers. Aaron Boone typically has used Chad Green to begin such games, but he said Green “is still in play for the first game” if they need him.
The Yankees made a trade for Royals speedster Terrance Gore on Wednesday, giving up only cash. Gore is hitting .275 (14-for-51) with 13 runs and 13 stolen bases this season for the Royals. Gore has five stolen bases in nine postseason games with Kansas City.
“Depth and a guy with a lot of speed that could play a certain role for you down the line,” Boone said. “One of the things you’ll probably see with this trade deadline. With August not out there, big and small deals will probably go on where teams are trying to create depth. I think that’s what this was.”
Gleyber Torres was out of the starting lineup as part of a planned “off day.” … Injured outfielder Cameron Maybin (calf strain) probably will continue to rehab with the team until the end of the homestand, Boone said, and then go on a minor-league rehab assignment.