The Boston Red Sox agreed to a one-year deal with seven-time All-Star reliever Aroldis Chapman, an industry source told MassLive on Tuesday. The deal reportedly is worth $10.75 million in 2025 and is expected to be announced in the coming days.
Chapman posted a picture of himself in a Red Sox hat on Instagram, confirming the signing.
Chapman, who is best known for his seven seasons with the New York Yankees, is a two-time World Series champion who logged 68 appearances for the Pittsburgh Pirates last year, logging a 3.79 ERA in 61 2/3 innings. As he always has, Chapman posted a high strikeout rate (14.3 K/9) but also walked 5.7 batters per nine innings. His fastball velocity still ranked among the best in baseball, averaging 98.7 mph.
Since finishing a five-year, $86 million deal with the Yankees in 2022, Chapman has pitched for three teams, splitting 2023 between the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers (and winning a title) before signing with Pittsburgh for 2024. He is no longer at the level of dominance he was in his prime but still misses bats at a high rate; he held hitters to a .165 expected batting average a year ago. Manager Alex Cora has wanted to add velocity to Boston’s bullpen for years and Chapman, one of the hardest throwers of all-time, surely fits the bill.
Chapman has saved 30-plus games eight times but totaled just 20 saves over the last two years, so it’s not certain the Red Sox view him as their top ninth-inning option. Kenley Jansen, the closer the past two seasons, is a free agent and likely to sign elsewhere, so Chapman joins a list of internal options that includes Justin Slaten and Liam Hendrix to pitch the ninth.
Slaten, Hendriks, Chapman and the newly signed Justin Wilson look like they’ll form the core of the Boston bullpen with Garrett Whitlock, Luis Guerrero, Zack Kelly, Greg Weissert, Brennan Bernardino, Josh Winckowski and others in the mix.
Chapman does not come without controversy. The Cuba native was suspended by Major League Baseball for 30 games in 2016 for violating the league’s domestic violence policy after being accused of pushing his girlfriend, putting his hands around her neck, choking her and firing multiple gunshots during an incident at his home in Florida the previous October. No charges were filed.
MOOKIE BETTS of the Los Angeles Dodgers was voted the Babe Ruth Award winner as postseason MVP by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, and Aaron Judge of the Yankees won his fourth Sid Mercer/Dick Young New York Player of the Year Award.
Betts batted .290 with four homers, 16 RBI, five doubles, 11 walks and a .952 OPS in 16 postseason games, helping the Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games for the World Series title.
Judge led the majors with 58 homers and 144 RBI while hitting .322 as the Yankees reached the World Series for the first time since 2009. He also won the award in 2017, 2021 and 2022.
RANGERS: Texas agreed to a two-year deal with catcher Kyle Higashioka with a mutual option for 2027.
Higashioka, who will turn 35 next April, hit a career-high 17 home runs for San Diego last season. It was his fourth consecutive season with at least 10 home runs, despite never having more than 263 plate appearances.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is found on our FAQs. You can modify your screen name here.
Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve.
Join the Conversation
Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe. Questions? Please see our FAQs.