For Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman, the last few years had been fairly predictable. He is 37 and as a guy in his mid-30s, it only makes sense that his performance on the mound would dip with age. He had the worst season of his career in 2022 (4.46 ERA), his final year with the Yankees, and bounced between the Royals and Rangers in 2023. He then went 5-5 with a pedestrian 3.79 ERA for a bad Pirates team in 2024.
The Red Sox took a gamble on him in December, though, brushing off calls for them to sign a closer more on the upswing, like Tanner Scott, and instead going with the veteran on a low-rent $10.75 million contract.
Chapman has rewarded them with a dominant season. He is eighth in the American League with 17 saves and, far from falling apart at his advanced age, has instead accelerated. Chapman was selected for the All-Star game this year, and has a career-best 1.18 ERA with a WHIP of 0.763, also the best of his career.
Given his rejuvenation, it might make sense for the Red Sox to seek to lock up Chapman beyond the current one-year commitment. But, Red Sox reporter Rob Bradford of WEEI notes, that has not happened.
Wrote Bradford on Twitter/X: “Aroldis Chapman said he hasn’t talked to the Red Sox about any contract beyond this season.”
Red Sox Bullpen No. 5 in Baseball
Chapman has been a key for the Red Sox, who have had one of the better bullpens in baseball this season. They’re fifth in baseball with a 3.44 ERA in relief this season, and with 358.0 innings pitched, rank 11th in terms of usage.
Chapman said that the path toward this exceptional individual season began over the winter when he worked with his individual coach, and continued into spring training with his work with the Red Sox staff.
“I feel like the dedication and the hard work in the offseason with my coach in Florida has been one of the keys for me to having this type of season,” Chapman said, via MLB.com. “I feel that we work very hard in the offseason to be able to have these results. I work here with our coaches and with him on the phone. So I feel that that’s been one of the keys for my success this year.”
It’s given the Red Sox the back-end star they seemed to lose with the departure of Kenley Jansen and has stabilized the spot, at least for this year. And maybe, if the Red Sox do decide to chat with Chapman–whose name has not come up in trade rumors lately with the Red Sox surging in the standings–about a contract.
Aroldis Chapman Wants to Keep Pitching
Chapman will keep pitching until he can’t find an employer anymore.
“I enjoy being in the gym,” said Chapman. “I enjoy being on the field, and that’s why I love this sport. I feel like if I’m not sweating, I haven’t done anything. I really enjoy all aspects of being here. …”
“As long as I’m healthy and a team wants me, and I’m able to throw the ball and do my job, I feel that I still want to be pitching,” Chapman said. “When I see that one of those things are no longer there, I’ll feel like it’s time to go home.”
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