Chapman reported returning to Yankees for 5 years, $86M

Deal would be the largest in history for a reliever

NATIONAL HARBOR — Aroldis Chapman found a spot in a most familiar bullpen — a very rich spot, too.

The hard-throwing closer reached agreement to return to the New York Yankees on Wednesday night with the highest-priced contract ever for a relief pitcher, an $86 million deal for five years.

A person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press that the contract was pending a physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet complete.

“I have no concerns about his toughness, mental toughness,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Thursday, without confirming the agreement. “It just comes down to will he maintain his health and performance levels, and if he does that then he’ll be one of the elite closers throughout the contract.”

Chapman gets an $11 million signing bonus, $1 million payable this year and $5 million in each of the next two years, and annual salaries of $15 million. He has an opt-out after 2019, a full no-trade provision for the first three years and then a limited no-trade that says he can’t be dealt to any of the five California teams or the Seattle Mariners without his consent.

“The price tags are off the chart, both trade acquisition as well as free agency,” Cashman said.

Once it’s done, the deal for the 28-year-old lefty whose fastballs routinely top 100 mph would shatter the previous richest contract for a reliever — that was the $62 million, four-year deal Mark Melancon signed with the San Francisco Giants during the winter meetings.

Chapman was acquired by New York from the Cincinnati Reds last offseason, then missed the first 29 games of the season because of a domestic-violence suspension from Major League Baseball. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in July and helped them win the World Series, becoming a free agent when it was over.

Chapman went 4-1 with 36 saves and a 1.55 ERA in a combined 59 games for the Yankees and Cubs. He struggled somewhat in the postseason as the Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians for their first championship since 1908.

With the Yankees this season, Chapman teamed with Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances in one of the most dominant bullpens in baseball history. Miller was later traded to Cleveland, but Betances is still with New York.

Earlier this week, Cashman said the team was interested in both Chapman and fellow free-agent closer Kenley Jansen.

Fox Sports first reported the agreement.