Aroldis Chapman On June 4, 2016 (2)
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Albertín Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz (; born February 28, 1988) is a Cuban-born American professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
for the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
of
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
,
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
,
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
,
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
, Texas Rangers, and
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
and in the
Cuban National Series The Cuban National Series (, or SNB) is a domestic baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the National Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system. For most ...
for
Holguín Holguín (, ) is a municipality-city in Cuba. After Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and Camagüey, it is the List of cities in Cuba, fourth largest city in Cuba. History Before Christopher Columbus, Columbus, the Taino people settled in huts made fro ...
. Chapman bats and throws left-handed, and is nicknamed "the Cuban Missile", due to his high fastball velocity. A member of the
300 save club In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 300 save club is the group of pitchers who have recorded 300 or more regular-season saves in their careers. Most commonly a relief pitcher ("reliever" or " closer") earns a save by being the final pitcher of a ...
, Chapman is the all-time leader in strikeouts for left-handed relievers. Chapman pitched for Holguín domestically and internationally for the
Cuba national baseball team The Cuba national baseball team () represents Cuba at regional and international levels. The team is generally made up of players from the domestic Cuban national baseball system, though it has at times included professional players who defect ...
. He defected from Cuba in 2009 and signed a contract with the Reds in 2010. Chapman made his MLB debut that season. He won the MLB Delivery Man of the Month Award as the best
relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
for July 2012, was named to four straight
National League National League often refers to: *National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada *National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
All-Star teams from
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to
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. The Reds traded Chapman to the Yankees after the 2015 season, and the Yankees traded Chapman to the Cubs during the 2016 season. With the Cubs, Chapman won Game 7 of the
2016 World Series The 2016 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2016 season. The 112th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Chicago Cubs and the American Leag ...
. He rejoined the Yankees after the 2016 season. He was named the AL Reliever of the Year in 2019. Following six seasons with New York, Chapman signed a one-year deal with the Royals before being traded to the Rangers at the trade deadline, winning the
2023 World Series The 2023 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2023 Major League Baseball season, 2023 season, and the 119th edition of the World Series. It was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American ...
with the team for his second championship. On July 11, 2014, Chapman broke the record, previously held by
Bruce Sutter Howard Bruce Sutter (; January 8, 1953 – October 13, 2022) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1976 and 1988. He was one of the sport's dominant relievers in the late 1970 ...
, for the most consecutive relief appearances with a strikeout, having struck out at least one batter in 40 consecutive appearances. Chapman's streak began on August 21, 2013, and lasted 49 consecutive games over two seasons, with the 49th and final game being on August 13, 2014. Chapman currently has the record for the fastest recorded pitch speed in MLB history, at , as well as the
Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
for fastest baseball pitch.


Early life

Chapman was born in
Holguín Holguín (, ) is a municipality-city in Cuba. After Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and Camagüey, it is the List of cities in Cuba, fourth largest city in Cuba. History Before Christopher Columbus, Columbus, the Taino people settled in huts made fro ...
, Cuba, on February 28, 1988. He lived in a three-room house with his parents and two sisters. Chapman's father was a boxing trainer and then later worked for the city. His mother did not work outside the home. Chapman's paternal grandparents had emigrated from
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
to Cuba in order to get a better education. The Chapmans, whose last name can be traced to English settlers in Jamaica in the late 1600s, were not a prominent family. A friend of Chapman invited him to join a local baseball team at the age of 15. He began playing as a
first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
until the coach noticed that Chapman could throw well enough to become a
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
, which Chapman began in 2003.


Professional career


Cuban career

Chapman joined the Holguín Sabuesos of the
Cuban National Series The Cuban National Series (, or SNB) is a domestic baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the National Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system. For most ...
League for the 2005–06 season and played through the 2008–09 season. In 327 career innings, Chapman compiled a 24–19
win–loss record Win–loss may refer to: * Win–loss analytics, analysis of the reasons why a visitor to a website was or wasn't persuaded to engage in a desired action * Win–loss record, also winning percentage * Win–loss record (pitching), the number of ...
, a 3.74
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA), and 365
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...
s. For the 2008–09 season, he compiled a 11–4 record with a 4.03 ERA, 130 strikeouts, and 118 innings pitched. He was used mainly as a starting pitcher during his time with the Sabuesos, although he made 11 relief appearances in the 2007 season, where he compiled 7 saves. Chapman was part of the
Cuban national team Cuban or Cubans may refer to: Related to Cuba * of or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean * Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent ** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof * Cuban Americ ...
at the
2007 Pan American Games The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games () and commonly known as Rio 2007, were a major Americas, continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to 29, 2007. A total of ...
and the
2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an International Baseball Federation, international baseball competition. It began on March 5 and finished March 23. Unlike in 2006 World Baseball Classic, 2006, when the Round-robin tournament, round- ...
.


Defection and American career

After a failed attempt to
defect Defect or defects may refer to: Related to failure * Angular defect, in geometry * Birth defect, an abnormal condition present at birth * Crystallographic defect, in the crystal lattice of solid materials * Latent defect, in the law of the sale o ...
in the spring of 2008, Chapman reported to
Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Raúl Castro Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz ( ; ; born 3 June 1931) is a Cuban retired politician and general who served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the most senior position in the One-par ...
who gave him a conditional reprieve, suspending him for the remainder of the National Series season and also keeping him off Cuba's national team for the
2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
but allowing him to return to the National Series and play in the WBC in 2009. Chapman successfully defected from Cuba while in
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...
,
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
where the Cuban national team was participating in the
World Port Tournament The World Port Tournament was an international baseball tournament held at the ''Neptunus Familiestadion'' in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The tournament was held every other year ( excluded) in odd-numbered years since , alternating with the Haarl ...
on July 1, 2009; Chapman walked out the front door of the team hotel and entered into an automobile driven by an acquaintance.
Gerardo Concepción Gerardo Concepción Pérez (born February 29, 1992) is a Cuban former professional baseball pitcher. After competing in the 2010–11 Cuban National Series, winning the Rookie of the Year Award, he defected to Mexico in order to become an MLB ...
defected from the Cuban national team in the same tournament. Chapman eventually established residency in
Andorra Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra, is a Sovereignty, sovereign landlocked country on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees in Southwestern Europe, Andorra–France border, bordered by France to the north and Spain to A ...
and petitioned MLB to be granted
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
status.


Minor leagues

On January 10, 2010, Chapman signed a six-year contract with the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
worth $30.25 million. The
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reported that the
signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
totals $10.25 million, paid annually over 11 years, with an additional bonus if he became eligible for salary arbitration in 2012 or 2013. Chapman began the 2010 season assigned to the Triple-A
Louisville Bats The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, wi ...
, and made his professional debut with the Louisville Bats on Sunday, April 11, in Toledo against the
Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the ...
, where he pitched innings, giving up one unearned run, while striking out nine. Chapman made 13 starts with Louisville, pitching to a 4.11 ERA, and pitched to a 2.40 ERA after the team used him as a
relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
.


Cincinnati Reds (2010–2015)


2010 season

Chapman made his Major League debut August 31, 2010, in the eighth inning against the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
; his first pitch was clocked at as a called strike (which was promptly tossed to the dugout by catcher
Ryan Hanigan Ryan Michael Hanigan (born August 16, 1980) is an American baseball manager and former catcher who is the manager of the Williamsport Crosscutters in the MLB Draft League. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Tampa ...
, to be saved). In nine pitches he retired the side. He recorded his first Major League win on September 1 after pitching an inning of relief against the Brewers. Chapman threw the fastest pitch recognized by MLB on September 24, 2010, at
Petco Park Petco Park is a ballpark in San Diego, California. It is the home of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). The ballpark is located in the East Village neighborhood of downtown San Diego, adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter. Petco Par ...
in San Diego, California. It was clocked at 105.1 mph to Tony Gwynn Jr. in the eighth inning. In Game 2 of the 2010 NLDS against the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
, Chapman allowed three unearned runs due to miscues of the outfielders. He got his first career postseason loss and the Reds lost the division series to the Phillies in a three-game sweep.


2011 season

Chapman served solely as a relief pitcher in 2011, appearing in 54 regular season games and finishing the season with a 3.60 ERA. He also struck out 71 batters in just 50 innings of work that season.


2012 season

Chapman was due to be introduced as a starter for the 2012 season, but preseason injuries to closer
Ryan Madson Ryan Michael Madson (born August 28, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles D ...
and middle relievers Bill Bray and
Nick Masset Nicholas Allen Masset (born May 17, 1982) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played for the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Miami Marlins, and Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (ML ...
led manager
Dusty Baker Johnnie B "Dusty" Baker Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and Manager (baseball), manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for 19 seasons, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers. D ...
to put Chapman in the
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role. Interim closer Sean Marshall struggled early in the season, and Chapman was given the closer role in late May. On July 1, 2012, Chapman was named to his first
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
. Chapman won the MLB Delivery Man of the Month Award for July 2012, in which he recorded 13 saves while not allowing a run in innings while striking out 31 batters—more than 60% of the batters he faced. It was the third month of the season in which he did not allow a single run. He was named the August Delivery Man of the Month. Chapman finished the 2012 season with a 1.51 ERA and 38 saves in 43 chances, recording 122 strikeouts and 23 walks in innings.


2013 season

In March 2013, it was announced that Chapman would be the closer for the Cincinnati Reds. He was an All-Star selection for the second season in a row. He finished the 2013 year with 38 saves, a 4–5 record, 112 strikeouts, and a 2.54 ERA.


2014 season

During a spring training game against the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
on March 19, 2014, Chapman was struck in the head by a line drive from
Salvador Pérez Salvador Johan Perez Diaz (born May 10, 1990), nicknamed "El Niño" and "Salvy", is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball catcher and first baseman for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is a nine-time MLB All-Sta ...
. The spring-training game between the Reds and the Royals was ended at that point with Kansas City leading 8–3. Chapman underwent surgery to fix a skull fracture above his left eye. A metal plate was inserted into his head to stabilize the fracture. Chapman began the 2014 season on the 15-day disabled list. He was activated from the disabled list on May 10. Chapman recorded his 100th save against the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...
on July 29, 2014, becoming the eighth-fastest pitcher to reach the milestone. In the 20-pitch appearance, Chapman threw 15 fastballs, all of which were above 100 mph. On September 23, 2014, Chapman recorded his 100th strikeout in his 51st inning pitched of the season, making him the fastest pitcher ever to reach that milestone. In 54 appearances, Chapman produced 106 strikeouts with 36 saves going 0–3 with an ERA of 2.00.


2015 season

Chapman and the Reds agreed to a one-year, $8.05 million contract on February 13, 2015. Chapman was selected to the
2015 MLB All-Star Game The 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 86th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The game was played at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday, July 14. It was televised nationally on Fox. The Americ ...
. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning and struck out the side on 14 pitches, 12 of which were recorded at 100 mph or greater. His fastest pitch in 2015 was 103.9 mph, best in MLB. His four-seam fastball had the highest average speed of any MLB pitcher's pitches in 2015, at 100.0 mph. In the 2015 season, Chapman made 65 relief appearances with a 4–4 record, a 1.63 ERA, and 33 saves.


New York Yankees (2016)

On December 28, 2015, Chapman was traded to the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
. Cincinnati received four minor league players including right-handed pitchers
Caleb Cotham Caleb Kent Cotham (born November 6, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (2015) and Cincinnati Reds (2016). He is currently the pitching coach for the Phila ...
and
Rookie Davis William "Rookie" Theron Davis (born April 29, 1993) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates. Career New York Yankees Davis attended Dixon Hi ...
, and infielders
Eric Jagielo Eric Stephen Jagielo (born May 17, 1992) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played college baseball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Career Amateur Jagielo attended Downers Grove North High School in Downers Grove, ...
and
Tony Renda Anthony John Renda (born January 24, 1991) is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox. Before his professional career, he attended the Univer ...
in the exchange. On January 11, 2016, manager
Joe Girardi Joseph Elliott Girardi (born October 14, 1964) is an American sports broadcaster and former professional baseball player and Manager (baseball), manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Girardi played the catcher position for the Chicago Cubs, C ...
named Chapman the team's new closer. He avoided arbitration on February 12, 2016, by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $11.325 million. MLB suspended Chapman for the first 30 games of the season due to an off-season personal conduct policy violation related to domestic violence. He made his first appearance for the Yankees on May 9, 2016, striking out two and allowing a run as the Yankees won 6–3 over the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
. On July 18 against the Orioles, Chapman threw for twice in the top of the ninth inning, averaging with his fastball. The triumvirate of Betances, Chapman, and Miller became known by fans as "No Runs–D.M.C.", owing to the relievers' dominance of opposing hitters.


Chicago Cubs (2016)

On July 25, 2016, the Yankees traded Chapman to the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
for
Gleyber Torres Gleyber David Torres Castro (born December 13, 1996) is a Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees. Torres made his MLB debut ...
, Billy McKinney, Adam Warren, and Rashad Crawford. In an interview with ESPN, Chapman stated he was thrilled that the Cubs went after him, especially considering the recent success of Héctor Rondón. Chapman made his first appearance as a member of the Cubs on July 27, pitching a 1–2–3 ninth and striking out two batters in a non-save situation. His fastest pitch in 2016 was 105.1 miles an hour, best in MLB. His four-seam fastball had the highest average speed of any MLB pitcher's pitches in 2016, at 100.9 mph, and his two-seam fastball had the third-highest average speed, at 100.4 mph. Chapman made three saves in four opportunities in the
2016 National League Division Series The 2016 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams in the 2016 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded 1–3) and a fourth team—the winner of a one ...
against the
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
to tie and set new Division Series records respectively; Wade Davis tied his record in the
2017 National League Division Series The 2017 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams of the 2017 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded 1–3) and a fourth team—the winner of a 2017 ...
, but Davis did it with only three opportunities. Chapman made four appearances during the
2016 National League Championship Series The 2016 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff in Major League Baseball’s 2016 postseason in which the overall #1 seed Chicago Cubs defeated the third-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League (NL) pennant a ...
(NLCS) against the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
. Chapman blew a save opportunity during the first game of the NLCS, but the Cubs rallied back and Chapman remained in the game to earn the win. He pitched the final innings of Game 6 to secure the Cubs' first pennant since 1945. Chapman's workload in the
2016 World Series The 2016 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2016 season. The 112th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Chicago Cubs and the American Leag ...
escalated with the Cubs facing elimination at the hands of the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
. Down 3–1 in the series, Chapman pitched through the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings of Game 5, allowing only one hit and preserving the Cubs' 3–2 lead. He was called upon again in the seventh and eighth innings of Game 6, where he allowed one hit and one run en route to a 9–3 victory. Chapman appeared the next day to close out Game 7 with a 6–3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, but blew the save opportunity, allowing Cleveland to tie the game on a two-run homer by
Rajai Davis Rajai Davis (; born October 19, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tig ...
. Chapman pitched through the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. The Cubs tallied the game-winning run in the 10th inning, making Chapman the winning pitcher and giving him his first World Series title.


Second stint with New York Yankees (2017–2022)

On December 15, 2016, Chapman signed a five-year, $86 million contract to return to the
Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. They are one ...
. This was the largest contract given to a relief pitcher until it was surpassed by Edwin Díaz in 2022. On May 14, 2017, Chapman was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to rotator cuff inflammation in his left shoulder. Although MRIs revealed no structure damage, Chapman was ruled out for at least two weeks. On June 18, the Yankees activated Chapman from the DL and he pitched that afternoon against the Oakland A's. On August 13, Chapman gave up a home run to
Rafael Devers Rafael Devers Calcaño ( ; born October 24, 1996) is a Dominican professional baseball designated hitter and third baseman for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox. Dev ...
of the Boston Red Sox. The pitch was clocked at 103 mph, making it the fastest pitch hit for a home run in the Statcast era (breaking
Kurt Suzuki Kurtis Kiyoshi Suzuki (, born October 4, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, and Los Angeles Angels ...
's home run off of a Chapman 102 mph pitch the previous year). It was also Chapman's first home run given up to a left-handed batter since Luke Scott of the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
did so in 2011. Later that month, Chapman gave up only his third home run off a left-hander when
Yonder Alonso Yonder Alonso (born April 8, 1987) is a Cuban former professional baseball first baseman and current MLB Network analyst. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, ...
of the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
hit one of his 101 mph fastballs out. His fastest pitch of 2017 was 104.3 miles an hour, best in MLB. His four-seam fastball had the highest average speed of any MLB pitcher's pitches in 2017, at 99.7 mph. In 2018 Chapman was elected as an MLB All-Star, representing the American League. On July 13, 2018, he announced that he would skip the All Star Game to rest his knee due to tendinitis. On August 22, Chapman was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to left knee tendinitis. His fastest pitch of 2018 was 104.4 miles an hour, second-best in MLB only to pitches by Jordan Hicks. His sinker had the highest average speed of any MLB pitcher's pitches in 2018, at 100.9 mph. In 2018, he had the lowest swing rate for his in-strike-zone sliders of any pitcher in baseball (42.5%). In 2019, he was 3–2 with 37 saves and a 2.21 ERA, as in 60 relief appearances he struck out 85 batters in 57.0 innings (13.4 per nine innings). He received the AL Reliever of the Month Award for both May and August. He received the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award at the end of the season. Chapman logged one save in the
American League Division Series In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring ea ...
and one in the
American League Championship Series The American League Championship Series (ALCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. The winner of the ALCS wins the AL pennant and ...
but gave up a walk-off home run to
Jose Altuve Jose Carlos Altuve (; born May 6, 1990) is a Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). Having played for the Astros since 2011, he is the longest-tenured current member of the team, an ...
with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 6 of the ALCS, eliminating the Yankees from the playoffs. On July 11, 2020, during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, it was reported that Chapman had tested positive for the virus. Manager
Aaron Boone Aaron John Boone (born March 9, 1973) is an American professional baseball manager and former infielder who is the manager of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for 13 seasons from 1997 to 2009. As ...
announced that he was cleared to return to the team on July 31. Chapman pitched in his first major league game of 2020 on August 17. On September 2, Chapman received a three-game suspension for throwing a pitch at the head of
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
batter
Mike Brosseau Michael Dillon Brosseau (born March 15, 1994) is an American professional baseball infielder in the San Diego Padres organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, and in Nippon Pr ...
. Brosseau later hit a game-winning home run off Chapman in Game 5 of the ALDS, effectively ending the Yankees season. His 100.5 mph-average sinker was the fastest sinker of any major league pitcher for the 2020 season. During the regular season, Chapman recorded a 3.09 ERA and 22 strikeouts in innings. On August 26, 2021, Chapman recorded his 300th career save, closing out a 7–6 victory against the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
. On September 30, Chapman recorded his 1,000th strikeout during a game against the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
. He struck out
George Springer George Chelston Springer III (born September 19, 1989) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Houston Astros from 2014 to 2020. Springer has played primarily i ...
in the bottom of the ninth inning, eventually winning the game 6–2. Chapman finished the 2021 season with 30 saves and a 3.36 ERA. He recorded 97 strikeouts and 38 walks in innings. Chapman went on the injured list in May 2022 due to
achilles tendinitis Achilles tendinitis, also known as Achilles tendinopathy, is soreness of the Achilles tendon. It is accompanied by alterations in the tendon's structure and mechanical properties. The most common symptoms are pain and swelling around the back of ...
and lost the closer role to Clay Holmes. He went on the injured list again in August due to an infection that developed when he got a tattoo. Chapman missed a mandatory workout before the
2022 American League Division Series The 2022 American League Division Series (ALDS) were the two best-of-five playoff series in Major League Baseball (MLB) to determine the participating teams of the 2022 American League Championship Series. These matchups are: *(1) 2022 Houston A ...
and was left off the team's postseason roster.


Kansas City Royals (2023)

On January 27, 2023, Chapman signed a one-year contract with the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
. He went 4–2 with 2.45 ERA in 31 appearances with the Royals in 2023.


Texas Rangers (2023)

On June 30, 2023, the Royals traded Chapman to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Cole Ragans and Roni Cabrera. He went 2–3 with 4 saves and a 3.72 ERA in 30 regular season appearances, and went on to pitch six innings with a 2.75 ERA across the 2023 postseason, ultimately winning his second
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
ring.


Pittsburgh Pirates (2024)

On January 31, 2024, Chapman signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
. On June 29, 2024, Chapman recorded his 1,197th career strikeout to pass
Billy Wagner William Edward Wagner (born July 25, 1971), nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston ...
for the most strikeouts by a left-handed reliever.


Boston Red Sox (2025)

On December 10, 2024, Chapman signed a one-year, $10.75 million contract with the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
.


Pitching style


Repertoire

With a three-quarters delivery, Chapman throws four pitches: a
four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch (baseball), pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the fastest ball thrown by a pitcher. It is s ...
averaging , a slider averaging , a splitter, and a change-up. Since 2018, he also added a sinker that tops out at and averages over 100 mph. His fastball averaged in 2010, but that declined to in 2011 and through August 2012. This more modest speed might have been part of an attempt to better control his fastball. By 2015, Chapman's fastball averaged . That same year,
Statcast Statcast is an automated tool developed to analyze player movements and athletic abilities in Major League Baseball (MLB). Statcast was introduced to all thirty MLB stadiums in 2015. The Statcast brand is also licensed to ESPN, which uses it to ...
revealed that Chapman threw the 62 fastest pitches of the season, topping out at . In 2024, Chapman's fastball averaged , while topping out at according to
Statcast Statcast is an automated tool developed to analyze player movements and athletic abilities in Major League Baseball (MLB). Statcast was introduced to all thirty MLB stadiums in 2015. The Statcast brand is also licensed to ESPN, which uses it to ...
. Chapman's fastball and slider both have extraordinarily high whiff rates: 33% for the fastball and 58% for the slider. As a result, Chapman has induced swinging strikes on 16.4 percent of pitches. He has struck out 40 percent of batters faced, third most among pitchers who have thrown 400 innings as of the end of the season. Due to the high velocity of pitches that Chapman throws, before he comes in, the Yankees played a video on the scoreboards showing Chapman's name on fire, and fiery looking videos of him, as high velocity pitches are commonly called "heat." Early on in his career, scouts worried about his control issues and lack of a solid third pitch, noting that these issues could affect his ability to be a Major League starter, but Chapman's control seemed to improve. After issuing 41 walks in 50 innings the previous season, Chapman walked 23 batters in 2012 over innings. He has walked 12.6 percent of batters faced in his career as of the end of the season.


Speed records

On September 24, 2010, against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...
, Chapman was clocked at , according to
PITCHf/x PITCHf/x was a system created and maintained by Sportvision that tracks the speeds and trajectories of pitched baseballs. This system, which made its debut in the 2006 Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason, is installed in every MLB stadium. The ...
, the fastest pitch ever recorded in Major League Baseball. On July 19, 2016, Chapman matched his previous record of 105.1 mph with a ball to Baltimore's
J. J. Hardy James Jerry Hardy (born August 19, 1982) is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles. Hardy attended Sabino High School in T ...
. In 2017, when MLB changed from the PITCHf/x to Statcast measurements, a pitch Chapman threw to Tony Gwynn Jr. on September 24, 2011, was revised up to and is now considered the fastest pitch thrown. On April 18, 2011, Chapman threw a pitch to Pittsburgh's
Andrew McCutchen Andrew Stefan McCutchen (born October 10, 1986) is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, New Y ...
that the scoreboard at
Great American Ball Park Great American Ball Park is a baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and opened on March 31, 2003, replacing Cinergy Field (formerly Riverfront Stadium), the Reds' fo ...
clocked at , but the box on Fox Sports Ohio's broadcast listed it at and the PITCHf/x system calculated a release speed of . The disparity between these speeds has been widely discussed and questioned.


Mechanics

''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' writer
Joe Posnanski Joe Posnanski () (born January 8, 1967), nicknamed "Poz" and "Joe Po", is an American sports journalist. A former senior columnist for ''Sports Illustrated'' (where he wrote a blog called "Curiously Long Posts") and columnist for ''The Kansas Cit ...
wrote of Chapman, "There is no violence at all in his motion; he's like the anti-
Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (November 9, 1935October 2, 2020), nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot", was an American baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1959 to 1975. Known for his fiercely competi ...
in that way. Just a slow beginning, a fluid motion, and ''BLAMMO'' the ball just fires out like the Batmobile rolling out of the cave." A technical analysis reveals the following: # Chapman breaks his hands late, so the arm as a whole gets involved late; # He shifts his weight before he breaks his hands; # Chapman gets low and creates tremendous leg drive; # At landing, he quickly braces his front leg and hip; # He also powerfully flexes his trunk forward over his landing knee. One scout noted that although " ere are no obvious flaws in Chapman's delivery ... Chapman has to coordinate a lot of moving parts," which may limit his consistency. Chapman's extreme pitch speed may also pose an injury risk to his pitching arm over time. Chapman's long and complicated delivery is significantly taxing on his body. He almost never pitches more than one inning per appearance, which is a major reason for him being used as a formidable closer.


Personal life

When Chapman left Cuba, he left behind his father, mother, two sisters, girlfriend, and a newborn child. He reunited with them when he helped them transfer to the United States; the details of how they transferred remain confidential. In 2014, Chapman's son was born in Cincinnati. In May 2012, Chapman was sued for allegedly serving as "an informant for Cuban state authorities after a failed defection attempt and help ngturn in another man in order to get back on the country's national baseball team." On December 7, 2015, news broke that Chapman was involved in an alleged domestic violence incident with his girlfriend in
Davie, Florida Davie is a town in Broward County, Florida, United States, approximately north of Miami. The town's population was 110,320 at the 2020 census, making it the largest town in Florida by population. Davie is a principal town of the Miami metropol ...
, at his home on October 30, 2015. A pending trade with the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
was put on hold as MLB announced it would investigate the incident as part of its personal conduct policy. In the incident, he was accused of pushing his girlfriend, putting his hands around her neck, and choking her, and subsequently firing eight gunshots. No charges were filed by the police due to inconsistency of the reports and insufficient evidence, and his attorney issued a statement denying the allegations. The trade to the Dodgers was canceled and the Reds traded Chapman to the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
three weeks later. Although he was not charged, MLB suspended Chapman for 30 games as a result of his "use of a firearm and the impact of that behavior on his partner," ending May 9, 2016. He was the first player disciplined by the new personal conduct policy enacted in August 2015, where MLB could suspend a player without a conviction. Chapman became a United States citizen in April 2016. He is
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
.


See also

*
Cincinnati Reds award winners and league leaders This article is a list of baseball players who are Cincinnati Reds players that are winners of Major League Baseball awards and recognitions, Reds awards and recognitions, and/or are league leaders in various statistical areas. Award winners Nat ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career games finished leaders In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished (denoted by GF) if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game. Mariano Rivera is the ...
*
List of Major League Baseball players from Cuba The following is a list of baseball players from Cuba who have played in Major League Baseball. A * José Abreu * José Acosta * Merito Acosta * Rafael Almeida * Luis (Witto) Aloma * Yonder Alonso * Dariel Álvarez * Ossie Álvarez * ...
*
List of baseball players who defected from Cuba This is a list of baseball players who defected from Cuba, consisting of Cuban baseball players who have defected since the beginning of Fidel Castro's presidency. Background Prior to the Cuban Revolution, which saw Castro rise to power in 1959 ...


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Aroldis 1988 births Living people American League All-Stars American sportspeople of Cuban descent Baseball players at the 2007 Pan American Games Boston Red Sox players Carolina Mudcats players Chicago Cubs players Cincinnati Reds players Cuban emigrants to the United States Cuban expatriate baseball players in the United States Cuban people of Jamaican descent Dayton Dragons players Defecting Cuban baseball players Kansas City Royals players Louisville Bats players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from Cuba Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games National League All-Stars New York Yankees players Pan American Games gold medalists for Cuba Pan American Games gold medalists in baseball Phoenix Desert Dogs players Pittsburgh Pirates players Sabuesos de Holquin players Sports world record holders Sportspeople from Holguín Baseball players from Holguín Province Texas Rangers players Trenton Thunder players 2007 Baseball World Cup players 2009 World Baseball Classic players American people of Afro-Cuban descent