Flavin Media

Left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $10.75 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. Boston sought left-handed help for its bullpen and lands the 36-year-old Chapman. @ChrisCotillo said deal was progressing.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 3, 2024

Considering LHP Aroldis Chapman’s unignorable past off the field, fans will be turned off by this move—but let’s stick to the ability part of things, which realistically only matters in the end to us. Chapman is a 3.79 ERA pitcher who has not lost velocity and can strike out big names, yet he will always have control issues.

We have not recently been the most receptive to signing established names, so when we sign a pitcher like Chapman for the bullpen, the first thing that jumps out is the willingness to improve an area of the team. Chapman topped out with the Pirates at 105 mph on a pitch last year, so the body and the talent are holding up, and the Red Sox figure to address the left-handed bullpen absence with this type of important pedigree.

From watching classic Red Sox–Yankees matchups in years past, viewers grew to have a sense of inevitable hope when Chapman closed for the Yankees late in the game. His inability to throw strikes—specifically in late situations—will be the big giant to handle, and you handle that by deferring any closing opportunities to others, having him pitch only the 7th, 8th, or any earlier imposing situation.

If the Red Sox can keep him out of the ninth inning, this will work out quite well…