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CHICAGO -- Before the Chicago Cubs completed a trade for Aroldis Chapman, owner Tom Ricketts and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein decided they had to hear from the closer himself about a domestic violence allegation in the offseason.So Ricketts and Epstein asked Major League Baseball for a window to speak with the left-hander, and they got him on the phone Monday. When the conversation was over, the blockbuster deal was on.Chasing their first World Series title since 1908, the Cubs addressed one of their few weaknesses by sending a pricey package of four players to the New York Yankees for Chapman, one of the most dominant relievers in the game, but one who also comes with some risk for a franchise riding a positive wave.This is a game-changer. Aroldis Chapman is a game-changing-type pitcher in the postseason, Epstein said. As you sit around and game plan how youre going to win a big game or how youre going to win a postseason game, it makes it look a lot easier when you see him there on your lineup card.Chapman is expected to join the Cubs for Tuesday nights game at the crosstown White Sox.For the Yankees, it was a rare July trade that saw the best player in the deal leaving New York. But Chapman is eligible for free agency after this season, New York also has All-Stars Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances in the bullpen, and its haul included top shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, versatile pitcher Adam Warren and minor league outfielders Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford.This was an easy call, and this was the right call, general manager Brian Cashman said. Easy because we traded from an area of strength and we are excited about the players that weve received for someone that obviously was only under control for two more months.The Yankees (51-48) are three games over .500 for the first time this season, but they still face long odds of getting to the playoffs. They made the decision to trade Chapman after his agents said he would not agree to a new contract that would start in 2017, a person familiar with the talks said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no public statement on those talks was authorized.If New York slips back any further, it could engage in a rare sell-off for the franchise. Miller, signed through 2018, also could be traded. All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran, first baseman Mark Teixeira and pitcher Ivan Nova are eligible for free agency after the season and could be sought by contenders.I think that when the right buy-or-sell circumstance presents itself, then this department will be making recommendations to ownership and then they will direct me on what they want, Cashman said.The 28-year-old Chapman went 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in 31 games for New York. He threw a 105.1 mph fastball to Baltimores J.J. Hardy last week, matching the fastest since Major League Baseball began tracking speeds in 2008.With lefty-batting sluggers Bryce Harper of Washington and Brandon Belt of San Francisco possibly looming in the playoffs, the addition of Chapman gives Cubs manager Joe Maddon one of the majors top assets when in need of a late strikeout.The Cubs have been playing really good baseball, Chapman said through a translator before he left Houston to travel to Chicago. I think theyre probably one of the better teams in both leagues right now. They have a good rhythm right now. Theyre fighting to get that ring, so it might be a good experience for me to be there.Chapman, who threw the 62 fastest pitches in the majors last season, was traded from Cincinnati to New York last December after a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers fell through when it was learned Florida police investigated an accusation of domestic violence involving the Cuban pitcher.Prosecutors declined to file charges, citing conflicting accounts, and Chapman was suspended for the first 29 games of the season, losing $1,856,557 of his $11,325,000 salary. He was the first player penalized a finite number of games under Major League Baseballs domestic violence policy.I regret that I did not exercise better judgment and for that I am truly sorry, Chapman said Monday in a statement released by the NL Central-leading Cubs. Looking back, I feel I have learned from this matter and have grown as a person. My girlfriend and I have worked hard to strengthen our relationship, to raise our daughter together, and would appreciate the opportunity to move forward without revisiting an event we consider part of our past.Epstein said the club thoroughly investigated the situation. But it wasnt until they spoke with Chapman on Monday that they were ready to complete the deal.There was genuine sorrow, regret, Epstein said before Monday nights 5-4 loss to the White Sox. Hes open about the fact that hes learned from the incident and that he feels hes grown as a person and will continue to grow as a person and that was important to us.Asked if the Cubs spoke with Chapmans girlfriend or someone close to her, Epstein said they took efforts to make sure they looked at the issue from every possible side.Warren was drafted by New York and made his major league debut with the Yankees in 2012. He was traded to Chicago in the December deal that moved infielder Starlin Castro from the Cubs to the Yankees.But the centerpiece of the Yankees package is the 19-year-old Torres, one of the top infield prospects in baseball.Were disappointed we swung and missed in our efforts to sign him as an international free agent back in the 2013 class, but certainly you keep your eyes on players youve liked in the past and he was definitely a target for us, Cashman said.---AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York and AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Fake Yeezy For Sale . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. Fake Yeezy For Sale . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. http://www.fakeyeezyoutlet.com/ . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Discount Fake Yeezy Shoes . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. Discount Fake Yeezy Shoes . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan ranks Kris Letang as one of the top three defensemen in the NHL.Letang justified that lofty praise in his return after missing five games with an upper-body injury, scoring a power-play goal and adding an assist as the Penguins defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 on Wednesday night.Matt Murray stopped 32 shots in his season debut after breaking his hand during the World Cup of Hockey, while Patrick Hornqvist, Bryan Rust, Matt Cullen and Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins.Letang scored 1:27 into the third period for his first goal of the season, flashing offensive skills comparable to that of the Penguins front-line stars. Taking a pass from Justin Schultz, Letang unleashed a quick wrist shot past a bewildered John Gibson.Letang also had a backhanded shot that was deflected up and off the crossbar by Nick Bonino before Rust used his positioning in the crease to clean it up, extending the Penguins lead to 3-1 late in the third period.Hes that impactful on the game, Sullivan said of Letang. He helps you get out of your own zone, he joins the rush, he makes plays off the rush. When he is in our lineup I think were obviously a much better team at both ends of the rink.Gibson made 29 saves, stopping a penalty shot by Scott Wilson in the third period after being bowled over by the Penguins forward. Gibson was replaced by Jonathan Bernier midway through the third period.The Ducks have been outscored 9-1 in their last two home games, Hornqvist adding the final goal midway through the third period.You dont want to dwell on it too much, its one hockey game, but the way we executed and some of the things we did out there were just out of character, said Cam Fowler, who scored the Ducks lone goal. We defended the whole time, gave them too much momentum and theyy were able to feed off it.dddddddddddd. They were able to do whatever they wanted to whenever they wanted to.Malkin put the Penguins ahead 7:41 into the first period, scoring his sixth goal of the season. Chris Kunitz intercepted a misplayed pass from Corey Perry to Kevin Bieksa at the blue line. Phil Kessel then found Malkin in the far circle winding up for the one-timer well before the puck left the tape on Kessels stick.Malkin, Kessel and Sidney Crosby all extended their points streaks to four games, with Kessel collecting six of his team-leading seven assists in that span. Thirteen Penguins recorded a point, Letang the only one with more than one.We were on the puck all over the rink, and when we do that were hard to play against, Sullivan said. Overall its probably one of our more complete games this year.Cullen scored 2:33 later to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead on his 40th birthday. The Ducks challenged that Tom Sestito was offside when playing a long pass from Eric Fehr before setting up Cullen, but video review was inconclusive and the play stood as called. Ducks defenseman Josh Manson whiffed on his chance to bat the puck down with his glove as it passed through the neutral zone.Ryan Kesler had an assist on Fowlers goal for his 500th career point.Game notesPenguins: Marc-Andre Fleury will start in goal against the Kings, Sullivan said.Ducks: C Ryan Getzlaf and LW Nick Ritchie did not play and are day-to-day with upper-body injuries. . Fowler is fourth in franchise history for goals by a defenseman with 38, while his 20 power-play goals is tied with Chris Pronger for third among Ducks defensemen.UP NEXT:Penguins: Visit Los Angeles on Thursday.Ducks: Host Arizona on Friday. ' ' '