Potential Angels Free Agent Target Signs With AL East Club

Maren Angus-Coombs | 23 Hours Ago

Nov 1, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (45) holds the trophy up for the fans after winning the 2023 World Series in five games against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Aroldis Chapman has reportedly agreed to a one-year, $10.75 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, according to multiple reports.

The deal, pending a physical, brings the hard-throwing Chapman to a bullpen that ranked 24th in ERA last season and subtracts him from the list of potential free-agent arms the Los Angeles Angels could sign.

Chapman posted a photo of himself with his dog wearing a Red Sox cap on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, which confirms a deal is in place.

Let’s go! pic.twitter.com/MhJ64TN6Lq

— Aroldis Chapman (@AChapman_105) December 3, 2024

Boston will be Chapman's seventh team bringing him to the other side of the historic American League East rivalry after he spent parts of seven seasons with the New York Yankees early in his career.

With New York, Chapman recorded a 2.94 ERA with 453 strikeouts and 153 saves in 294.1 innings.

The hard-throwing left-hander hasn't been a closer since 2021 but that hasn't stopped him from being one of the more dominant relievers in the game. Chapman pitched 61.2 innings for Pittsburgh last season, recording a 3.79 ERA, 98 strikeouts, and 39 walks.

A seven-time All-Star with 335 career saves, Chapman has primarily served in a setup role over the past three seasons, though he recorded 14 saves with the Pirates last year.

His career has not been a completely smooth road either. In 2016, Chapman accepted a 30-game suspension under MLB's domestic violence policy after an incident in which he allegedly fired a gun inside his house.

A few months prior to the incident, he was traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Yankees. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline that year, where he won a World Series, before returning to New York. He then had stints with Kansas City, Texas, and Pittsburgh. He won another World Series in 2023 with the Rangers.

Another freak incident occurred during the 2022 season when Chapman missed nearly a month late in the season after getting a leg infection from a tattoo.

The Yankees left him off the American League Division Series Roster for missing a workout and then saw him sign with the Royals ahead of the 2023 season.

Chapman has posted a career 2.63 ERA over 760 innings, recording 1,246 strikeouts. His strikeout rate of 14.8 strikeouts per nine innings is the highest in MLB history, nearly three-quarters of a strikeout ahead of Craig Kimbrel.