Pirates land Chapman
Former All-Star closer agrees to one-year, $10.5M deal, per report
The Pirates are usually known for being tight in the wallet, but they land Aroldis Chapman, who at one time was known as the toughest closer. In the previous season of 2023, the seasoned left-handed pitcher played for both the Royals and the World Series winning Rangers, achieving an impressive 3.09 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings. Moreover, he displayed his best fastball velocity in quite a few years, with his four-seamer averaging over 99 mph in the last season.
Was in the Top 50 Free Agents
Some scouts had him 40th on the free agent list, and wrote this about him:
“Chapman appeared near the end of the line in 2022. He had a miserable season, punctuated by his decision to skip an October team workout that resulted in the Yankees leaving him off their playoff roster. Chapman was down so bad that he signed a cheap one-year deal with the Royals. He must’ve taken the lack of interest personally since he showed up with his hardest fastball in years and authored his best season since 2019. He’s still a little too prone to handing out free passes, but someone will trust him with a high-leverage role.”
Chapman, who has been selected to the All-Star team seven times and will turn 36 in late February, is set to enter the 2024 season with 321 saves under his belt, placing him in 21st position on the all-time list. Despite his impressive track record, the Pirates already have an All-Star closer in the form of David Bednar. As a result, it appears that Chapman will not be given as many opportunities to earn saves and will likely continue to serve in a setup role, much like he did throughout most of the previous season, during which he earned only six saves in 61 appearances.
MLB Tickets
Tickets to all MLB games. See the Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, Giants, and your favorite team.