Bobby Evans is wasting no time in taking steps to shore up the Giants’ bullpen.
Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area is reporting that the Giants general manager met with free agent closer Aroldis Chapman’s agent at the MLB GM Meetings on Wednesday. According to Pavlovic, Evans is meeting with all the agent’s of the top free agent relievers, as well as exploring trade options before making a decision on who to persue. As we’ve written, Chapman is widely regarded as the best closer available on the open market, a position the Giants are targeting above all else after blowing a league-leading 30 saves in 2016.
San Francisco has also shown interest in Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, and will likely target Mark Melancon as well, who Evans reportedly nearly landed at the trade deadline last season, before being outbid by the Washington Nationals. The Giants also attended former Royals closer Greg Holland’s showcase last weekend.
“You create an order of preference but it’s not limited to those (first) three,” Evans said. “You have a good number of guys with the potential to close games.”
Initial estimates had Chapman and the other top-tier options commanding a $70 million price tag. Those numbers have reportedly increased, with the word at the GM meetings being that Chapman and other top relievers may command deals closer to $100 million, which would double Jonathan Paplebon’s record $50 million deal for a relief pitcher.
Chapman was suspended 50-games for a domestic violence issue last offseason and was part of a midseason trade from the Yankees to the Cubs. The left-hander, who’s fastball can reach up to 105 MPH, posted a 1.55 ERA in 2016 and notched 36 saves.
