Watching a pitcher hit triple digits on the radar gun isn’t the buzzworthy moment it may have been 15 years ago.
But watching Aroldis Chapman do it never gets old.
The 37-year-old fireballer from Cuba has been blowing the fastball past helpless batters for what seems like decades. In fact, Chapman has been doing it with unmatched regularity since he made his Major League debut for the Cincinnati Reds in 2010.
Reports Indicate Aroldis Chapman Will Fill Closer Role for Boston
GettyBoston Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman saved 14 games for Pittsburgh last season.
When Chapman unleashes his first 100-plus mph pitch in a regular season game in 2025, he will have accomplished the feat for his 16th consecutive season. And indications are that he will be doing so as the closer for the Boston Red Sox.
According to a report in MassLive.com, Chapman “appears to have become the in-house favorite” to pitch the ninth inning for Boston.
In six games this spring, covering 5.1 innings, Chapman has 10 strikeouts and a 3.38 ERA. Although there are some concerns about Chapman’s command, as he has walked four batters, his swing-and-miss arsenal has been impressive, putting Chapman ahead of Liam Hendriks and Justin Slaten in the battle for the closing role.
In early December, Boston signed Chapman to a 1-year deal worth $10.75 million.
“I’m very happy to be here in such a historic organization, one of the biggest baseball organizations in the league, and for me, it’s a huge honor to be here,” Chapman said. “When my agent brought the option to go to Boston, for me, it was happiness. I was very happy to be able to come to Boston.”
And the Red Sox are happy to acquire the services of one of the more durable pitchers of the 21st Century.
Aroldis Chapman Maintains Incredible Durability Throughout Career
In an era when arm injuries are almost expected, particularly for those who throw the hardest, Chapman has been ridiculously reliable. Since his first full-time season in 2011, Chapman has made at least 51 appearances in 12 of 13 non-Covid-shortened seasons.
Chapman has 335 career saves, which is 16th all-time and 3rd among active pitchers, behind Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel. He became the Reds closer in 2013, his second full-time season, and would post 30-plus saves in eight of nine seasons, not including 2020. After two seasons in more of a setup role, he saved 14 games for Pittsburgh in 2024, most of them coming toward the end of the year after he took over the closer role following the injury to David Bednar.
“I think that firstly, God blessed me. But after that, I feel like the hard work and the dedication that I put in every single day is something that also helped me to maintain my velocity throughout the years,” said Chapman.
