The combination of strong performances and multiple teams needing a back-end reliever have free agents Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon in position to sign lucrative contracts this offseason.
In particular Chapman and Jansen, both of whom are expected to exceed the largest contract ever given to a reliever — the four-year, $50 million deal Jonathan Papelbon received from the Philadelphia Phillies in November 2011.
The Los Angeles Dodgers saw first hand how much value Jansen has, and the club is well-aware of Chapman’s talents. The Dodgers nearly traded for the flamethrower at the 2015 Winter Meetings, and are said to still view Chapman in high regard.
The San Francisco Giants are also in need of a closer, and met with representatives of Chapman, Jansen and Melancon, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network:
#SFGiants officials have met this week with reps for closers Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, and Mark Melancon, sources say. @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 10, 2016
In consistency and poor pitching out of their bullpen proved to be the Giants’ Achilles heel this season. It’s in large part the reason they lost an eight-game lead in the National League West standings.
San Francisco led the Majors with 30 blown saves, the most by any team that still reached the postseason. After rallying against Chapman in Game 3 of the NL Division Series, the Giants saw their bullpen falter in Game 4, failing to protect a three-run lead in the ninth inning.
Jansen would shut the revolving door the Giants eventually had at closer, which saw six different relievers record a save. Santiago Casilla lost his role as the team’s closer and Giants manager Bruce Bochy entrusted Sergio Romo down the stretch.
Jansen converted 47 saves with a 1.83 ERA and 0.67 WHIP this season. He finished tied for second in the Majors in saves, and led qualified NL closers in WHIP and strikeouts (104).
The 29-year-old earned his first All-Star Game honors, was named to Sporting News’ NL All-Star team, and received the 2016 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award.
Along with Jansen, the Giants were reported as having interest in pursuing Justin Turner. Meanwhile, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman recently said he intended to contact Jansen’s representatives. The Yankees also have interest in Chapman.
