Was The Aroldis Chapman Trade The Greatest Win/Win Trade Of All Time?

Unless you’re living under a rock you know that Aroldis Chapman has signed with the Yankees for a King’s Ransom. What was weird to me though was the amount of people touting the Yankees brilliance, to trade a guy for a bunch of prospects only to then re-sign him a few months later. I’m not going to say some Yankee fans were pretending they fleeced the Cubs or pulled one over on Theo but it was borderline.

So it got me thinking, has there ever been a trade that was more of a win-win for both sides than the Cubs trading for Chapman? There is no doubt in my mind the Cubs don’t win the World Series or even get there without Chapman’s contribution this fall. He was the game changer the team needed especially with Rondon and Strop struggling down the stretch. On the flip side the Yankees weren’t competing, they got some great young prospects (something the Cubs had a plethora of) and then got their guy back a few months later. It’s rare to see a trade work out so well for both sides so quickly. That’s a trade both sides make 100 out of 100 times again, not sure that’s ever happened before to such an immediate extent.

Oh and for the record, Chapman for 5 years 86 million with 3 no trade years is absolutely absurd. One of those contracts the Yankees know the second they sign will be a disaster towards the end, but that’s the price for elite closers and the Yankees aren’t exactly poor when it comes to money. Hopefully Chapman can take that winning culture from the Cubs and show the Yankees how it’s done.