Eighth- and ninth-inning bullpen plans still unclear for Nationals

Another potential closer option for the Nationals is off the board after fireballer Aroldis Chapman was added to the Yankees' powerhouse bullpen in a trade with the Reds. It's the second time the Reds reportedly agreed to deal left-hander this offseason after a trade with the Dodgers fell apart during the Winter Meetings when domestic violence allegations involving Chapman surfaced from this past October.

The Nationals and general manager Mike Rizzo have been connected to Chapman; they missed out signing the Cuban reliever after he defected and subsequently inked his contract with the Reds in 2009. Chapman then pitched out of Cincinnati's bullpen for new Nationals manager Dusty Baker, who had expressed an interest in reuniting with the hard-thrower earlier this month.

But with an investigation ongoing regarding the domestic disturbance, which reportedly involved violent gun play, the Nationals cooled on their pursuit of Chapman.

"It's changed, obviously, with the allegations against him," Rizzo said at Nationals Winterfest on Dec. 12. "It's something that we're not going to continue to go after until we find out how things have happened. It's something that we don't want to get into that because of the allegations against him. There's plenty of other targets that we have and we're going to move onto those."

Rizzo has changed the complexion of the Nationals bullpen - specifically in middle relief - by adding right-handers Trevor Gott, Shawn Kelley and Yusmeiro Petit and lefty Oliver Perez this winter. But Rizzo has yet to solve the issue in the eighth and ninth inning with disgruntled right-hander Drew Storen and volatile closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Storen and Papelbon remain under contract with the Nationals, but both were expected to be traded by this point of the offseason. Just over 50 days remain until pitchers and catchers report for spring training and Rizzo still has plenty of work left if the plan remains to overhaul the backend of the bullpen. Along with no-trade limitations and an $11 million price tag for 2016, Papelbon continues to be difficult to deal especially with other clubs understanding the vulnerable position he left the Nationals in after last season's fight with Bryce Harper.

It's possible Chapman's move to the Yankees could open other opportunities for Rizzo. The deal gives New York a trio of devastating flamethrowers with right-hander Dellin Betances and lefties Andrew Miller and Chapman. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman indicated after the trade that the club plans to keep all three relievers to make a run for an American League East crown in 2016. But there has been speculation about the Yankees potentially moving Miller throughout the offseason and Cashman doesn't anticipate his phone to stop buzzing.

"I'm sure we'll get a lot of interesting calls between now and whenever,'' Cashman said to reporters on Monday.

Miller, 30, has three years and $27 million remaining on the free agent deal he signed with the Yankees last season. He was 36 for 38 in save chances with a 2.04 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings in 2016, winning AL Reliever of the Year honors. The Yankees are reportedly looking for a big package in return for Miller, including a front-line starting pitching prospect. That's something Rizzo has yet to budge on in recent deals.

The Yankees sent four prospects to the Reds for Chapman - right-handers Caleb Cotham and Rookie Davis and infielders Eric Jagielo and Tony Renda. Renda, 24, was the Nationals second round pick in 2012. He was in his first year at Double-A Harrisburg when the Nationals dealt him to New York for reliever David Carpenter in mid-June.