Red Sox reportedly ‘in agreement’ with relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman on one-year deal
"Boston sought left-handed help for its bullpen and lands the 36-year-old Chapman."
The Red Sox appear to be adding to the team’s bullpen with an early offseason move.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Red Sox are “in agreement” with left-handed relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman on a one-year, $10.75 million contract (the deal is also still pending a physical).
“Boston sought left-handed help for its bullpen and lands the 36-year-old Chapman,” said Passan. The possibility of a deal first became public on Tuesday morning when Chris Cotillo of MassLive noted that the two sides had “progressed in talks” and that the Red Sox were “working toward signing [Chapman].” (Cotillo also confirmed the agreement).
Chapman, 36, has an undeniably impressive MLB resume as a seven-time All-Star with a 2.63 career ERA. A two-time World Series winner, the Cuban native has 1,246 career strikeouts in 760 innings of work while pitching for six different teams. He holds the record for the top two fastest pitches in MLB history (105.8 mph in 2010 and 105.7 mph in 2016), and still averaged a 98.7 mph fastball in 2024 while with the Pirates.
He fills a need that the Red Sox have in a bullpen that struggled at times in a disappointing 2024 season. And while he hasn’t been a closer since 2021, the veteran may find himself pitching in save situations depending on the return of Liam Hendriks (who is coming back from Tommy John surgery).
Still, Chapman has experienced two of his worst seasons within the last three years. In 2022, while a member of the Yankees — he has had two tenures with Boston’s rival — Chapman posted a 4.46 ERA. This past season, he managed a 3.79 ERA with the second highest WHIP (1.346) of his career.
Chapman was also suspended for 30 games in 2016 stemming from a domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend at their Florida home in Oct. 2015.
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