Pirates Sign Veteran Reliever Aroldis Chapman to One-Year Deal

Chapman is set for a third stint in the NL Central.

Veteran MLB closer Aroldis Chapman will be returning to the NL Central in 2024, having reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Francys Romero of MLB.com.

The one-year pact is reported to be worth $10.5 million, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. 

Aroldis Chapman struck out 103 batters in 58 1/3 innings with the Royals and Rangers :: Joe Rondone/Arizona Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2024 season will be Chapman’s 15th in MLB, and he’s set for a big raise after earning $3.75 million last year. He’ll turn 36 before the campaign gets underway, but he showcased last season that he still has some of his trademark heat left in the tank, frequently topping 100 mph on the radar gun.

Chapman won a World Series with the Texas Rangers last season, and will now join the Pirates’ bullpen where he figures to handle some of the late-inning work. In ‘23, the hard-throwing southpaw made 61 appearances and recorded a 3.09 ERA with 103 strikeouts and six saves, pitching for the Rangers and Kansas City Royals.

This marks Chapman’s third stint in the NL Central, having previously pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs. He ranks 21st in MLB history with 321 career saves, though it’s not immediately clear if he’ll be called upon as to close out games in Pittsburgh, especially with David Bednar coming off consecutive All-Star appearances.