Chicago Cubs Reportedly to Acquire Aroldis Chapman for Torres, Warren, McKinney, Crawford

Per multiple reports leading up to it, and per Jon Heyman’s indication that it’s actually done (and several reports that followed), the Cubs are expected to acquire Aroldis Chapman today from the Yankees in exchange for top shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, pitcher Adam Warren, outfield prospect Billy McKinney, and one more yet-to-be-identified prospect. (UPDATE: Patrick Mooney reports that it’s outfield prospect Rashad Crawford.)

You can read much more on the deal and how it all came together in this morning’s tracking post.

I don’t think it’s going to be possible to unpack and analyze the WOW-SO-MANY-LAYERS of a trade like this within moments, but I do want to give some very initial thoughts:

[I]t is fair that some fans have questions about the Cubs adding a player who was implicated in a serious domestic violence and gun incident in the offseason, but those concerns can be addressed by an open and thoughtful discussion by the organization when the time comes. There’s a whole lot that I don’t know, and I don’t think it’s fair for me to have a conclusive opinion one way or the other until there has been an opportunity to be apprised of all the information.

I know this is not a topic everyone wants to see me getting into, but the reality is that Chapman was suspended 30 baseball games this year under baseball’s domestic violence policy. This is a baseball issue, and it is part of the considerations associated with adding him to this Cubs team. Like you, I very much want to enjoy watching a player of Chapman’s historically impressive talent pitching for the Cubs in meaningful games. But I also want more information about what happened last October and about what has happened since, and I’m interested in hearing the Cubs’ perspective on these issues if the deal comes to pass.

Given that many Cubs fans have only a passing knowledge of Chapman and the domestic violence/gun incident for which he was suspended, I think it’s fair for all of us to want more information before finalizing our feelings on this. And I’m not talking to either side of the aisle here, I’m talking to both. If your predisposition is to not want Chapman on the team, I encourage you to investigate what really did or did not happen in October to the best of your ability. If your predisposition is to not care at all about what happened in October, I’d encourage you to do the same.

To that end, perhaps the most useful breakdown I’ve found so far is this Deadspin article going through the Broward State Attorney’s Office’s statement on the official decision not to prosecute Chapman for the incident.

[adinserter block=”3″]