The Boston Purple Sox added an enormous arm to their bullpen Tuesday once they reportedly signed Aroldis Chapman.
However the model of Chapman the Purple Sox are getting is way completely different than the one who put collectively three All-Star campaigns in 4 seasons with the New York Yankees from 2018-2021.
Chapman is not on the top of his powers and not flashes triple digits usually on the radar gun. The veteran left-hander, who’s becoming a member of his fourth group in 5 seasons, has nonetheless proven to be an efficient reliever within the latter levels of his profession, although.
The Purple Sox reportedly handed Chapman a one-year, $10.75 million contract and he fills a a necessity for Boston in a bullpen which lacked flamethrowers, particularly left-handed ones, this previous season.
This signing a couple of years in the past most likely would have netted rave evaluations, however with Chapman holding onto a stable however diminishing arsenal as he enters his sixteenth MLB season, ESPN’s David Schoenfield gave the Purple Sox a B- grade for bringing aboard Chapman.
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“He’s not likely nearer materials nowadays, although, as he hasn’t posted an ERA below 3.00 since 2019 and his final season as a full-time nearer was 2021, when he saved 30 video games for the Yankees,” Schoenfield wrote. “Chapman turns 37 in February and whereas he not reaches triple digits on each pitch, his fastball nonetheless averaged 98.7 mph and he racked up 98 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings for the Pirates. His greatest change over the previous two seasons is mixing in a sinker much more typically than merely counting on his four-seamer/slider/splitter.
“Doing that hasn’t helped him lower down on his walks, although — he nonetheless averaged 5.7 walks per 9 innings and hasn’t been below 5.0 in a full season since 2019. That makes Chapman a tough pitcher to utterly belief as your ninth-inning reliever and pushes him into extra of a setup position.”
Regardless of an underwhelming grade from Schoenfield, Chapman ought to nonetheless be an improve to a Boston bullpen which struggled late in video games all through the 2024 season.
Chapman doubtless will maintain down the eighth-inning position with Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen each free brokers. And as Schoenfield famous, the Purple Sox nonetheless have loads of time so as to add a top-tier nearer like Kirby Yates, Tanner Scott or Jeff Hoffman via free company. Additionally they have an in-house nearer candidate in Liam Hendriks, however Hendriks comes with loads of questions since he hasn’t pitched within the majors since June 2023.
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Having Chapman offers the Purple Sox flexibility as he can function a setup man or potential backup nearer possibility. And maybe Chapman is the primary domino to fall in what may very well be a large offseason for the Purple Sox.
