We are counting down the hours to the historic London Series. Here is the Bat Flips and Nerds player preview article for the relief pitchers we will see in action for the Yankees.
YANKEES BULLPEN
Aroldis Chapman
Team: New York Yankees
Height: 193cm (6’ 4”)
Age: 31
Bats: Left-handed
From: Cuba
2019 salary: $17.2 million (signed a five-year, $86 million contract for 2017-21)
For years, Aroldis Chapman was the hardest throwing pitcher in the game. The “Cuban Missile” hit 100 MPH so frequently that MLB’s Statcast had a feature where you could filter out Chapman’s name to allow you to at least see some other pitchers on the leaderboard.
The long-time Cincinnati Reds’ closer was flipped by the Yankees to the Cubs in 2016, and he assumed a pivotal role in breaking Chicago’s World Series drought. In exchange, the Yankees received Gleyber Torres. Both superstars will be playing in London.
The Yankees signed Chapman as a free agent after his World Series heroics, and he has gone on to make over 130 appearances from the Yankees bullpen with a strikeout rate of around 14.0 SO/9. He sits third in the list of most saves from active closers behind Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen.
At just over 105 MPH, Chapman holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest pitch thrown. This has been equalled by Atlanta Braves’ Jordan Hicks. Although, as Hicks has just damaged his UCL, it will be a while before he attempts to claim the record outright.
Zack Britton
Team: New York Yankees
Height: 190cm (6’ 3”)
Age: 31
Bats: Left-handed
From: California, USA
2019 salary: $13 million (signed a three-year, $39 million contract for 2019-21)
The control artist formerly known as Zach Britton substituted the H for a K in February this year, because pitchers could always use more K’s. That’s not the real reason for the name change, but it sounds good.
His 2016 season for the Baltimore Orioles was one of the most incredible campaigns ever when the left-hander posted 0.54 ERA over 69 appearances while recording the league-best 47 saves. It came in the middle of a stretch when Britton converted 60 straight saves. That remains an AL record.
Adam Ottavino
Team: New York Yankees
Height: 196cm (6’ 5”)
Age: 33
Bats: Right-handed
From: New York, USA
2019 salary: $9 million (signed a three-year, $27 million contract for 2019-21)
Even though pitching at altitude in Denver is tough, in his final year for the Colorado Rockies Adam Ottavino posted an impressive 2.10 ERA at home.
The Yankees boosted their dream team bullpen by signing the right-handed to a three-year, $ 27 million contract in the offseason.
You will spot him in London as the only player in Yankees uniform with a single-digit number on his back. Ottavino’s number of choice is 0.
Media attention in New York is exponentially greater than in Colorado, and early in his tenure with the Yankees, Ottavino was forced to go over old ground concerning a comment he made 10 years ago in an interview when he said he would strike out Babe Ruth every time.
He justified the statement by explaining the evolution of the game and the fact that the players ate hot dogs and drank beer during the games back in those days, but for a narrow-minded minority, it was sacrilegious.
Tommy Kahnle
Team: New York Yankees
Height: 185cm (6’ 1”)
Age: 29
Bats: Right-handed
From: New York, USA
2019 salary: $1.38 million (two more years are arbitration remaining)
The former White Sox pitcher is yet another outstanding reliever within the Yankees bullpen. With a strikeout rate of 36%, right-hander Tommy Kahnle is knocking down batters at the best rate in the team.
Originally drafted by the Yankees in 2010, Kahnle debuted for the Colorado Rockies, but it wasn’t until he pitched for the White Sox that he looked like an ace. He moved back to New York in a blockbuster, salary-dump deal which saw Todd Frazier and David Robertson accompany him. Although the least-known of the trio, Kahnle was the star prize of the trade and remains under team control for two more seasons.
Although 2018 didn’t go to plan, Kahnle is back to even better than his best this season.
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