Aroldis Chapman made a shocking free agent decision when he signed with the Kansas City Royals. The former New York Yankees' closer has made potentially an even more eye-opening announcement, joining Great Britain for the World Baseball Classic.
Chapman is a native of Cuba. His most well-known nickname is the “Cuban Missile.” And yet, Chapman has been added to Great Britain's 50-man roster for the World Baseball Classic, via Pelota Cubana's Yordano Carmona. Despite being added to the roster, Chapman clarified to Carmona that he doesn't know if he will actually play.
Aroldis Chapman recently agreed to a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Royals. He joined Kansas City after a seven-year stint with the Yankees. During his time with New York, Chapman racked up 153 saves, registering a 2.94 ERA and a 453/153 K/BB ratio.
Chapman competed for Cuba in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. They advanced beyond the group stage but were eliminated in the second-round of the playoffs. Chapman went 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA. When he was with the Yankees, Chapman expressed interest in pitching for the USA in the WBC.
Due to Chapman's Jamaican roots, he is eligible to play for Great Britain. Jamaica was a British colony until 1962. Still, fans didn't expect to see the “Cuban Missile,” being added to Great Britain's WBC roster.
Chapman will look to improve his career numbers with the Royals this upcoming season. He has 315 career saves to his name, 24th most in MLB history. While nobody saw it coming, he'll look to potentially make Great Britain proud in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
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