Aroldis Chapman on August 15 pitched an inning to complete a shutout of his most recent former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. He fanned two of the three batters he faced in yet another commanding performance.
The inning also triggered an option in Chapman's contract. Once the star closer pitched 40 frames for the Boston Red Sox this season, he would be locked down for the 2027 season at $13 million, provided he passes a physical at the end of the season.
Whether the 2027 season will go on as planned is uncertain for now, as collective bargaining agreement negotiations between league owners and the Players' Association loom large. Whenever the next round of free agency, Boston will avoid the mad dash to sign a closer because of Chapman's option.
Detractors will point out that the veteran will be 39 years old by then, but he's shown no signs of age since he joined the Red Sox. Over his season-plus in Boston, Chapman has posted a 1.50 ERA, 0.902 WHIP, 34.3 strikeout percentage and 59 saves over 102 innings. His walk rate has ticked up this year (10.5) compared to last season (6.6) but Chapman is still an elite closer by every metric.
Aroldis Chapman triggers option in Red Sox contract that will bring him back for 2027 season, barring failed end-of-season physical
Chapman's $13 million salary is no small price to pay for a relief picher but his salary is reasonable, even on the cheap side compared to some of the other elite closers in the game. Josh Hader is due $19 million next season, Edwin Diaz's salary will be over $21 million, Raisel Iglesias is making $16 million this year and Chapman is paid the same as the Tampa Bay Rays' Pete Fairbanks. If Chapman can continue or come close to replicating his performance from the last two seasons, his contract will be a steal and serious credit is due to Craig Breslow.
Chapman has said he'd like to finish his career in Boston, and depending on how many more years he pitches, that could be a possibility (subscription required). The Red Sox have previously expressed hesitance to sign players over a certain age and Chapman is well past that point, but if he continues his excellence into 2027, he could be in line for an extension at an even lower price due to his age.
When Chapman signed with the Sox before the 2025 season, it came with relatively little enthusiasm from the fanbase. He had been a longtime New York Yankee and he walked a ton of batters with the Pirates the year before, which among other reasons made it difficult for Red Sox Nation to get excited about him. But he's been everything Boston could've hoped and more for a price that's hard to beat, which will hopefully continue into next season, whenever it starts.
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