Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman crossed the 40-inning mark on Saturday in an outing against the Pirates. The appearance triggered the vesting option in his contract for next season. If he clears a post-season physical exam, Chapman will be signed for 2027.
Chapman will make at least $13MM next year, though that number could go up based on potential accolades. The deal increases by $1MM if the left-hander is named the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Reliever of the Year or MLB’s Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year. Even if he doesn’t win, Chapman will get an extra $500K if he’s top three for either award.
While there’s a solid chance Chapman is a finalist for one of the reliever awards, if he falls short, he’ll still almost certainly pick up some extra cash. He gets $250K for finishing fourth or fifth, and $100K for slotting sixth-10th, for the BBWAA award. It’s hard to see 10 relievers finishing ahead of Chapman given his production this season.
The 38-year-old Chapman is tied for fifth in the league with 27 saves. He entered tonight’s action with a crisp 2.04 ERA and a 29.8% strikeout rate. Chapman has blown just two saves all season. He’s spearheaded a bullpen that boasts the best ERA in the league.
Chapman’s legendary career seemed to be fading as he entered his mid-30s. Persistent control issues led to a rocky exit from the Yankees after the 2022 season. He hopped from the Royals to the Rangers and then the Pirates over the next two years, moving in and out of the closer role. Boston picked him up on a one-year, $10.75MM deal heading into last season. The move paid off handsomely for the Red Sox. Chapman put together a renaissance campaign, saving 32 games with a ridiculous 1.17 ERA over 67 appearances.
Boston extended Chapman in September of last season. The flamethrowing lefty received $13.3MM this year, plus the 2027 option. He’ll stay right around that mark next season, with some room to move up based on how the awards shake out. After a career-best 6.6% walk rate in 2025, Chapman has given back some of those gains. He’s posted a 10.7% walk rate this year. His strikeout rate has also slipped under 30% for just the second time in his 17-year career. Still, he remains an elite option in the ninth inning.
Chapman moved inside the top 10 on the all-time saves leaderboard this season. He’s closed out 394 games, which ranks ninth in league history. Chapman will look to chase down Billy Wagner (422 saves) and John Franco (424 saves) next season.
Photos courtesy of Dennis Lee and Bob DeChiara, Imagn Images
