The Red Sox are in agreement with Aroldis Chapman on a one-year contract. The deal, which is pending a physical, reportedly guarantees the Wasserman client $10.75MM. Boston’s 40-man roster is full, so they’ll need to make a corresponding move once the signing is made official.
Boston becomes the left-hander’s fifth different team since 2022. Chapman is no longer the elite closer he was during his peak with the Reds and Yankees. He’s still an effective, if somewhat volatile, reliever despite scattershot command. He turned in a 3.79 ERA over 61 2/3 innings for the Pirates this year. Signed as a setup option in front of David Bednar, Chapman recorded 22 holds before taking over as closer for the struggling Bednar late in the season. He picked up 14 saves, his highest total in three years, and only surrendered five leads.
Even as he enters his age-37 season, Chapman is one of the league’s hardest-throwing relievers. He averaged 97.8 MPH on his four-seam fastball and 99.8 MPH on his sinker. While Chapman is no longer in a league of his own in terms of velocity, that’s rare arm speed from the left side. Among southpaws with at least five innings pitched, only Jose A. Ferrer and Gregory Soto threw their four-seamers harder on average. Chapman’s sinker velocity led all southpaws and ranked fourth in MLB overall, trailing Emmanuel Clase, Justin Martinez and Seth Halvorsen.
That high-octane stuff continues to lead to plenty of strikeouts. Chapman fanned 37% of batters faced with Pittsburgh. Among relievers with 20+ innings, Chapman ranked eighth in strikeout rate. His 14.7% walk percentage was the ninth-highest mark among that group. Fewer than half of his plate appearances ended with a ball in play. There’ll be a lot of free passes, but Chapman’s stuff is good enough that he still manages to work out of trouble more often than not.
This is the second bullpen pickup of the offseason for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and the Boston front office. They also brought in Justin Wilson last month to work in the middle innings. There could be room for one more addition with four Sox relievers hitting free agency. They’re expected to let Kenley Jansen walk and could also lose Chris Martin, Luis García and Lucas Sims. Liam Hendriks should be back from Tommy John surgery and is the favorite to replace Jansen as Alex Cora’s closer. Rule 5 pick Justin Slaten should be their top setup option from the right side. Cam Booser and Brennan Bernardino, who had been their top internal lefties, profile as middle relievers rather than high-leverage arms.
Chapman did not place among MLBTR’s Top 50 free agents. That said, he was one of the best available lefties for teams that didn’t want to play at the top of the market for Tanner Scott. He earns a very slight raise relative to last winter, when he signed with Pittsburgh for $10.5MM.
The move brings the Red Sox’s estimated payroll, including arbitration projections, to roughly $148MM (courtesy of RosterResource). Boston is up to approximately $181MM in luxury tax obligations. They’re $60MM shy of the base tax threshold. CEO Sam Kennedy indicated the Sox could exceed the threshold, one of myriad comments from team brass signaling a big offseason. There’ll be a lot more to come from Breslow and company, who are one of five teams known to be involved on Juan Soto and have been tied to every top-end free agent starting pitcher.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive first reported the Red Sox and Chapman had made progress on a deal. Mike Rodriguez confirmed there was a deal in place. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the contract terms. Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
New closer? I’m all 4 it.
Chapman’s saves last 3 years: 9,4,14
Doesn’t exactly scream elite closer
@joe
Nobody said he was elite, and at this point in his career, he doesn’t need to be.
If he can stop walking so many, he can still be a good-great closer, or 8th inning guy.
Femboy – if the Sox want to make a deep playoff run, they need an elite closer.
If he’s not the closer, they already signed another lefty arm (Wilson). They could have gotten a better option in Scott, who is actually elite.
@joe
the red sox are trying to go for soto right now, Tanner Scott will be too expensive for them.
Tanner Scott will surely demand a premium.
Also, you don’t need an elite closer to make a deep playoff run.
Look at the 2015 royals, they didn’t have Greg Holland, yet they won the WS.
Brad lidge with the Astros
etc.
Not to mention Chapman is not fully done yet, I believe he can make a comeback, even if he’s old.
The ’15 Royals did have an elite reliver in that spot, though. Holland was not the same pitcher that year before his injury. Wade Davis stepped up and was great in the post-season. He also received Cy Young votes the previous season and that year.
@FemboySportsFan Chapman is what he is and the walks are part of his high strikeout output.
Tanner Scott will surely demand a premium.. Yes he will, and don’t call me Shirley.
Joemo
They could have gotten a better option in Scott,
====================
I like Scott a lot, but that’s a whole different contract. He’s predicted at $56M/4, and i think he gets it. Most teams need an A and a B closer.
In fact, I quote from the article: “Chapman is no longer the elite closer he was…”.
Scott will cost 6-7x as much if not more since he’s not attached to a QO.
Red Sox did well to get Chapman off the market at this rate. Plus it’s only a 1 year deal. Not a 5+ year deal Scott will probably command.
Elite closer would be nice. But team with the best closer doesn’t win it all every time.
People seem to forget sometimes games are decided in the 7th or 8th depending where the 1-6 guys hit.
So maybe they should have spent that 10+MM differently
Uh the Royals didn’t have an elite closer in 2015? Wade Davis had a 3.5 WAR as a reliever that year and a sub 1.00 ERA
Dodgers this past season were a “closer by committee” bullpen….
Playoffs?
Correct I always thought if you just didn’t swing he would blow most saves. But people swing away so he will work just fine. I doubt he will close more of a set up man high leverage situation
Most teams need relievers that can pitch in high leverage situations whether it’s the 7th, 8th or 9th. Flexibility is key….
Harrison – Speak of forgetting, wow you completely dismissed a great closer in Hendriks. Getting a lefty reliever who can close if something happens to Hendriks is what Boston needed so Chapman is acceptable. The fans will need crash carts every time he goes to the mound. I saw most of Texas’ games in 2024, it was just like being back in Chicago when Mitch Williams was there. Exciting but for the wrong reasons!!
Tanner Scott won’t be 6 to 7 times as expensive because that would put him at $60 to $70 Million a year.. If he is the primary closer on the team he selects he might get $20Miilion or a bit more but if he’s a set-up man, he’ll be hard pressed to get $20Million.
Overall, a 4 year deal with Scott at $15Million a year to set up Hendriks is the most Boston should have gone to get him. He’s better off pitching for a team that needs him more so they can justify lone closer money for him.
Uh Emmanuel Clase was the better closer compared to what the Yankees had?
What!? Wade Davis had one of the greatest seasons ever out of the pen in 2015.
Hendriks is the closer. Chapman will be a high leverage or set-up man
If not chapman then who’s closing then?
Nowadays, the question is, “Who’s facing the heart of the order in their last turn at-bat?”. If a guy can only be effective in the 9th, he’s useless….
Nooooooo……, that’s how the game ends.
Of course getting 3, 4, and 5 out in the late innings is important, but getting out #27 is also important.
Just ask all the brilliant GM’s who thought closer by committee was a good idea.
Worked well for the Dodgers in ’24. 14 different guys with a save. Buehler was their closer for the WS clinch. 8 solid guys in the pen and late-game strategy is all you need….
And, when else?
I don’t even care to research. But if it can happen once….
How about whitlock
Because he wasnt a closer..thus the 22 holds last year till he replaced bednar..when has anyone claimed a 36 year old as elite?
@pool
Dennis eckersley…I could name more but I don’t feel like it.
Femboy the point was he wasnt a closer and nobody claimed chapman was elite…also you can cherry pick hall of famers all you want but elite 36 year olds are rare
He was rather frustrating last year tied a career high in innings but also career highs in walks, hits and earned runs.
He was still a quality reliever though, if pressed i’d put him in as closer but if I were a legit contender i’ll look for more of a “sure thing”
@joe
I definitely get what you’re saying, but Tanner scott would be too much money for them, since they’re trying to get soto.
He probably out-performed the NYY, BA, Philly, Detroit, KC, and LAD closers.
Joemo: Bednar was the closer for most of ’24. Chapman was the set- up man and he had a pretty decent 22 holds. Chapman also threw a few pitches at 105 mph. Still plenty left in that arm.
He was mainly a set up man for Bednar here last year, hence his save total. He’s a frustrating guy to watch and maybe he always was. Sometimes he’s hitting 102 on the gun and sometimes it seems his speed is down. Sometimes his spin pitches are effective and other times he’s all over the road
All I know is that we he entered close games last year, you’d shake. Walks. Getting hit hard, just as much of the picture as his strikeouts and stare downs
Gringo: Some pitchers give you a heart attack because they come in in a possible game changing moment and they’ll either be very good or very bad. Hopefully the Sox can get him to be more consistently good.
He’s not going to get more consistent now at 37. But, the point is twofold; first) when he’s good he’s still great,,and separate from the average middling (Justin Wilson) reliever. second) even when he comes in and walks the ballpark, he has made the other team react to him, and except for the ELITE lefthanded hitters it will change the other team’s lineup
he was elite enough for the Rangers to give the Royals Cole Ragans, a runner up in the 2024 Cy Young voting this year
He’ far from elite…plus he’s a perv and wife beater.
sigh…I was hoping the Yanks would pick him up to bolster the bullpen and have a Bertram capable of closing if needed.
I know the Yanks are working behind the scenes and are understandingly waiting on Soto, but they can still address other positions like the bullpen.
@KnicksFanCavsFan Chapman burned his bridge with the Yankees when he opted to tattoo to leg in-season and subsequently got it infected and missed time. He also lied about his whereabouts.
Chapman averaged 1.5 strikeouts per inning and converted 14 of 19 save opportunities last year. He can close for a stretch of needed. I think the bottom line is this improves the bullpen.
I’m somewhere in between… Chapman very clearly improves the bullpen. He is a step down from Scott, in age/durability more than in performance, but he can still bring it. Ought to be the best arm in the Red Sox pen, but more importantly it gives the Red Sox four leverage relievers (alongside Hendriks, Whitlock, and Slaten). That was a clear weakness for the team last year, leaving guys like Kelly and Bernardino pitching key innings.
He’s a risk due to his age, but no more so than signing Scott to a four year deal. The money is appropriate for his talent. Wasn’t what I was hoping for, but a sensible second-tier signing.
Still waiting on the top-tier signings we’ve been promised….
tff17: What promises were made?
They’ve been talking about putting together a team that will compete for the division title, as well as a willingness to go past the luxury tax. It is still early in the off-season, but Wilson and Chapman don’t move the needle all that much.
I remember them saying they want to compete for the division title and win 90-95 games and being willing to go over the luxury tax threshold, but nothing about top-tier free agent signings, right? Making sure I didn’t miss something.
Right now they aren’t going to win 85 games, let alone 90+. You aren’t getting there without top tier free agent signings. Fried and Soto might get them close to 95.
So, they didn’t promise top-tier free agent signings. The quote was:
“Even if it takes us over the CBT,” said Kennedy at the owners meetings, “our priority is 90 to 95 wins, and winning the American League East, and winning the division for multiple years.”
They stated their goals. They did not promise to deliver anything. I think that is the smart thing to do because it is not all within their control. They can do their best and offer the most money to the best free agents, but they might still sign somewhere else for whatever reason. I certainly hope they succeed.
With an ERA pushing 4. That might work for the Pirates but not for teams contending.
Yeah, oh no, a 3.79 ERA. Whatever will the Red Sox do?
His 3.04 FIP is more predictive.
14/19 is a terrible ration for a closer
He was 14/17 in save opportunities. The blown saves stat for some reason includes leads blown outside of the 9th inning, such as in hold situations in the 8th inning. In those situations, he was 22/24. On the season, he was 36/41 in hold/save situations, which is pretty solid.
Liam Hendriks should be the closer with Chapman as the setup man, though I’m sure Chapman will get the odd save opportunity from time to time.
Grats!
At least he won’t have to face Raffy
Sometimes, when I feel down, I pull up that clip of the dude watching Devers take Aroldis downtown and it makes me a little less sad.
How do I find this
mlb.com/video/statcast-devers-423-ft-homer-c172672…
Watch this, and then stop complaining about his throws to 1B, please
Ben, I sometimes go to YouTube and find Danial Nava’s first AB. it just uplifts.
Does this mean Cole is also heading to the Sox?
Red Sox closers are all required to be in their late 30s I guess. He and Liam Hendricks can haze Justin Slaten until the 7th inning.
could be worse
dick mountain was pitching the year chapman was born
Spicy
Groovey
Super
…finger snap
…finger snap
…finger snap
aroldis chapman will now become the mike sillinger of the mlb, joining a ton of teams at the end of his career
I’m pretty sure there are tons of MLB players that have already done that.
yes, but i need to relate it to hockey somehow
NHL enthusiast?!?! I never knew they existed!
sad tormented: I’ve been a Blackhawks fan for most of my life. Last season they were the worst team in the NHL. That matches perfectly with my other favorite team, the White Sox. Including the cubs, Bears and Bulls, Chicago sports defines the very definition of stinks.
yes, we exist. go rangers
Chapman and Hendricks can either be the best one two punch or DFA’d by July
But I like the Red Sox getting a veteran power left hander in the bullpen it’s a good sign for spending
Good thing is, if you look at Liam’s last few seasons
He’s been pretty damn good.
Obviously he had that battle with cancer. and he’s had some injury’s, but I think he’ll still be very good for the red Sox.
Very good pickup
If the Sox can manage to get soto as well, they can be great.
their pitching staff is full of potential with:
Kutter Crawford
Brayan Bello
Garret witlock
Tanner houck
and Lucas giolito.
I’m a jays fan, (sadly) but I’m liking what I’m seeing in the red Sox.
lucas is probably not worth mentioning
@drew
I would disagree.
Gio is a good pitcher, but he gets injured way too much, his potention is getting limited because of that.
He also needs to figure out a way to go deeper into games, and limit his runs, right now he’s similar to Patrick Corbin.
But I think, as I said…he has a lot of potential, he’s only 30, he’s almost to the end of his prime, so I believe he can be good if he stays healthy.
Femboy = Wow. For a Toronto fan you don’t know much about the skills of the Red Sox players. This team is in shambles thanks to Bloom and Breslow is struggling to repair the damage because he’s focusing on big gambles not solid reliable players with talent.
Giolito was a waste of money since he hasn’t pitched but has $20 Million in the bank. He’s coming off TJ and frankly it’s a 14 month process and then several months of tuning before he can get to a level he might have been at last year when the money was paid. So, maybe half a season for nearly $40 Million. Not a smart move.
Houck is the only reliable young pitcher right now but both Crawford and Bello have a chance to be league average or better if they improve. Whitlock is all hype and no substance. He is an injury waiting to happen. His performance level is undefined because he isn’t good at starting or relieving. He’ll need much improvement to get many innings in 2025.
The Jays have far more talent than Boston that’s why it’s hard to believe you are a Jays fan. Boston has nobody as good as Vlad Guerrero Jr.. Not even close!!! You have better pitching, you have a comparable hitting team if Bichette returns to form. You simply look unmotivated to win and that is usually an issue with the manager, like it is in Boston.
Good luck to the Blue Jays in 2025.
Well, I guess I can mute you. If you’re gonna whine, keep it short.
Whitlock belongs in the role he thrived in 7th inning guy who can go two innings if needed…… He is not a starter.
Claydagoat – Please do!!!
Sign Soto, trade from outfield/prospect death for a starter, and we’re in a good spot.
Whitlock will be in the bullpen
@ghost
I read somewhere that he’s “open” to a bullpen role if he stays healthy, otherwise I think he wants to be a 3-4 starter.
He said he’s content to be in the pen and do whatever he can to remain healthy
If I were a fan of another team in the AL East i’d like what the Sox have done also. They signed two 37yo relievers, when they need:
1) right handed power DH/LF
2) minimum one front line SP
3) someone who can play a competant 2B
Hoo-ray
@Sad
Well here’s the thing, Vaughn grissom is a project, and has good potential.
Brayan Bello, if he breaks out this season (he’s a candidate for me)
he will be the Frontline starter, other than Tanner houck most likely.
not to mention if they do end up signing soto, then they will fill that DH/LF role.
The Red Sox have the 2024 Minor League Player of the Year named Kristian Campbell who many scouts think may be the 2B starter for the Red Sox coming out of spring training in addition to Grissom and Hamilton. IMO, I do not see the Red Sox block these talented players (Campbell) by signing a free agent.
Agreed, he might be as good as Anthony. Great numbers in the minors and the projection systems seem to love him. Campbell is PROBABLY a step down, but both are terrific prospects.
I’m not confident he is a 2B, though. Possible he could end up elsewhere on the diamond, especially if Grissom performs.
TFF17 = It sounds like you think Grissom is very good. Let me lay some facts about him on you so we can compare him to what the other big time prospects have done.
Grissom is an 11th round HS SS drafted in 2019. He played 44 games of rookie ball in 2019 before COVID then didn’t play again until 2021. His 18 year old numbers in 2019 were .288/.361/.400/.761 with 3 SBs. Marcelo Mayer is 23 months younger and was drafted in two years later in 2021 after COVID. That means Mayer has one year less experience than Grissom.
Grissom after COVID hit .311/.402/.446/.848 with 13 SBs at A ball in 75 games then got promoted to Hi-A for 12 games where he flourished hitting .378/.519/.595/1.114 with 3 SBs.
The small sample size makes the numbers a bit less meaningful but it was a huge improvement.
Mayer’s progression resembled Grissom’s but he was two years behind him due to age. In 2022 Mayer played A and Hi=A ball because Bloom wanted to showcase his 4th pick in the draft. His 2021 numbers didn’t justify it but again it was about marketing the guy not what he actually did to deserve the promotion. Mayer in 66 games was nowhere near what Grissom did at the same levels BUT he was a year younger.
In 2022 while Mayer was a 19 year old wading through A and Hi-A, Grissom played at Hi-A for 74 more games after 12 the year before and his numbers were .312/404/487/891 with 20 SBs then he got promoted to AA for 22 games. In AA he hit
.363/.408/517/925, Again small sample size but ATL ignored that fact and promoted him to the majors from AA at age 21 for 41 games!!! WOW. He hit .291/.353/.440/792 with 5 SBs.
Skipping AAA and performing well at the MLB level was incredibly impressive for a 21 year old Grissom especially in comparison to Mayer who was drafted 10 rounds earlier.
ATL sent Grissom back to AAA in 2023 to get the seasoning that he missed out on by jumping to the MLB in 2022. At AAA Grissom hit .330/.419/.501/.921 with 13 SBs in 102 games. At that point ATL brought him back to the MLB for 23 games. His second stint at the MLB level produced .280/.313/.347/.659 with 0 SBs.to finish out 2023 he played in the PRWL for 13 games and hit .256/.319/.279/598 with 1 SB.
At this point, something seems very wrong. His numbers have really fallen off in 2023 so ATL considers him a pretender and uses him to get an all-star SP and eventual Cy Young winner and Boston gets a prospect badly slumping.
Breslow’s credibility is destroyed with this deal.
In BOS Grissom plays just 55 games at AAA because of an injury and his numbers are 259/385/373/758 with 10 SBs.
Out of sheer embarrassment as Sale was pitching himself to levels he had attained prior to Cora, Breslow brought up Grissom to the MLB and he hit .191/246/.219/.465. Absolutely miserable considering what Sale did.
So which seasons in the minors or majors represent Grissom’s real talents? Clearly, when healthy and performing well he hits for a high average with average power and decent speed. His .979 Fielding % at 2B in the minors is a far superior choice to his SS Fielding % of .952 which he played twice as much as 2B. In the MLB his 2B number is .975 and his SS number is .914.
So MAYBE Grissom could be a 2B solution in Boston if he somehow recovers from his hitting slump that started in the DRWL in 2023 before he was traded to Boston.
As a reminder, Kristian Campbell the minor league player of the year in 2024 played 40 games at Hi-A .306/418/558/976 with 3 SBs, 56 games at AA .362/463/582/1.045 with 17 SBs and 19 games at AAA .286/.412/486/898 with 4 SBs.
In Total 2024 Campbell totaled .330/439/.558/.997 with 24 SBs and Fielding %s of .979 at 2B and .971 at SS. This is why he was Minor League Player of the Year and should command the most respect of any of the prospects including Anthony, Teel and especially Mayer. If he can hit at the MLB level out of the gate, he’s your 2025 SS with Story moving to 3B, Devers to DH and Grissom/Meidroth/Mayer at 2B.
It’s early December you oddball.
@Clay
what’s your point?
My point is that SaidSox, whom I replied to, is not bright because he’s worried about not all holes not being filled by December 3.
@clay
My bad clay.
Sad Sack – are all 12 months on your calendar April?
Sad Sox 3 – Lets correct what we need so we actually go after things that will help the team:
1 – Don’t need a right handed DH/LF You are talking about the Red Sox right? They need a 3B that is right handed so Devers moves to DH and we save the 50 misplays he makes a year.
2 – We need not just one front line SP we need TWO elite SPs that are all-star quality. They will be expensive so it’s not likely to happen.
3 – The middle infield is a BIG issue because the better players won’t get a chance to play there. Grissom is a pre-arb 1 candidate that is getting a chance because Breslow wasted $17Million and Sale to get him. Huge mistake by Breslow. Better candidates in the infield:
1 – Minor League Player of the Year – Campbell. Can play SS or 2B
2 – Rafaela – With OF over loaded he can play SS or 2B
3 – Story – If he can hit he’s adequate on defense at SS or 2B
4 – Meidroth – Excellent middle infielder at AAA
5 – Mayer – If he’s not hurt again, an improving AAA middle infielder
Boston could become very competitive with Devers moving to DH, a new 3B who is right handed with power and a glove, two elite SPs and a new manager who will play the best players at SS and 2B not the ones he likes the most personally.
Sage –
I hit the most needed right now. I could go into your level of depth too, but yes, it is December, and this is how you start to build a team and fill in along the way toward spring training.. If you don’t address your BIGGEST holes now, you run out of time to get to the next level, and what you’re left with is two 37yo relievers and two reclamation projects.
The problem (as I see it with the true analytics GM or POBO) is TEAM BUILDING. They want to be right about their deep metrics and how they can turn around three reclamation projects, but forget that 11 guys played second base last year and none of them, Grissom included (IMO) can actually play second base.
Next, Devers isn’t moving. Not this year. And certainly not for Arenado. He’s never going to play 1B, and if you improve 3B by =10DRS you may lower 1B by more than that as the 1B handles the ball more than the 3B. Will he be a DH, yes, one day in the future. Moreover, with a whole season of better SS play, Devers never needs to go to his left.
Finally, I wholeheartedly agree that Cora plays the guys he likes better more than those who he may not. Some of that again is on Breslow, if you give the Manager 11 2B’s to play instead of ONE, i might do the same.
.
SadSox – In my opinion following your off season approach which I totally agree with, I fix things in this order and you are right that if the first items aren’t fixed the off season isn’t going to be a success:
1 – Devers to DH is worth 10 wins. It’s the most critical by far because a stud pitcher doesn’t guarantee 10 more wins than an above average SP who could have a great year.
2 – SP1&SP2 are critical. Together they could be worth more than Devers move so spending the money and picking the right guys are critical to a great off season.
3 – Right Handed hitting 3B who can field is a significant add as well. The great part about it is that guys like Campbell, Story or Rafaela could handle the fielding part but only Campbell has the upside power potential to be that guy. There are several other good candidates available. Bregman is a free agent that simply needs money to be had. Guys like Arenado, Bohm and Burger could be traded for.
4 – Lefty reliever who can double as a closer is now done and a top five choice was picked but not the most qualified guy because he costs too much.
See your sequencing of highest to lowest priority is a great approach to the off season but it’s dependent on money, a knowledgeable GM and cooperation from the players being sought. That’s the problem with the Red Sox.
1 = No willingness to spend money over $20 Million since the Story and Devers contract mistakes
2 – A GM who likes to gamble to try to save money rather than buying blue chip players is a big deterrent to success
3 – A negative reputation surrounding the Red Sox organization due to racism, a complete lack of loyalty and a clubhouse led by the biggest cheater in baseball history. Add to that all the leaders in the clubhouse were unceremoniously released recently and a vision of total chaos exists within the clubhouse that the new players are being asked to join.
I think you and I are on the same page. I don’t know if you see the same issues as I do related to why none of this great plan you can articulate can come to pass but I simply don’t have enough faith in the current organization to believe change will happen as it should.
One last point, Devers doesn’t have the baseball smarts to recognize when not to go to his left. He may be one of the dumbest players in the game when it comes to understanding the fundamentals of decision making on defense. Bogey was an outstanding SS by normal measurements and his metrics were terrible because of Devers. We don’t have a better shortstop than Bogaerts on the current roster from a defensive perspective. Story about a half decade ago was comparable but he’s hardly played since coming to Boston. Mayer, the next coming at SS, has a fielding percentage near Devers in the minors so he’s going to be rough replacement if they choose him because he’s well connected. Campbell has done well in the minors at 2B and OF but we don’t need another OFer so I say see if he is what Mayer was supposed to be. If he is, SS is solved for the next decade. If he’s not, you always can try Mayer and see if he can field better and stay healthy. Lastly, you could use Rafaela since Cora is in love with Abreu who hasn’t overcome the YIPS yet in right field but was given a GG for no reason with all his errors. If Anthony proves himself then the outfield should be Anthony, Duran and Rafaela but will probably be Abreu instead of Rafaela based on Cora’s bias so Rafaela could be the 2B when Grissom proves ATL had a great reason to move him for Sale Additionally, the team speed will be better with Rafaela and once they pick one spot for him his defense will improve since he’s only 24 in 2025.
So many moving parts. So little movement on all-star quality talent acquisition makes it unlikely Boston fans will have a good off season. Just a bunch of promises.
Sage – great post! I agree that there is no vision for the entirety of the organization. From top to bottom there is no plan. Case in point, although it eally isn’t that big a deal, was rushing to sign Wilson before the Rule 5 draft and exposing one more prospect to the draft. Then doubling down on the mistake of signing Wilson by going out and getting another 37yo lefty.
Cora is also a problem. Putting mlb players at positions they are unaccustomed to, or can’t, play is not something high end free agents want to hear ie Schwarber at 1B. Or this ridiculous notion that everyone plays multiple positions. Not everyone is Mookie Betts, oh yeah, we didn’t want him when he was here…
Whitlock needs to go back to the bullpen. Haven’t even gotten a combined 100 innings out of him the last two seasons with this experiment putting him in the rotation. And he wasn’t nearly as effective when he was able to pitch, because his stuff plays so much better when he can fully air it out for an inning or two instead of trying to make it stretch for five or six.
I think Hendriks can be a fine closer, and with Weissert, Slaten, Bernadino, Chapman, Kelly, and Winckowski in front of him plus Whitlock as the roving multi-inning leverage guy, that should be a really, really rock solid bullpen. If Hendriks isn’t able to re-establish himself, honestly I think Whitlock is the guy you turn to as our next closer.
Giolito hasn’t been any good since 2021, have to assume he is nothing at this point. If he manages to contribute, great, but that’s gravy if he does. Absolutely cannot be counting on him to give anything if we’re serious about making it back to the playoffs.
That leaves two starters needing to be paired with Houck, Crawford, and Bello. One of them has to be a top of the rotation type pitcher. I’m okay with going for more of a mid-tier type pitcher for the second one, like an Eovaldi, Quintana, Means, or Quantrill who could probably be had on a shorter term deal and thus be less painful to replace with someone like Rick Fitts if they don’t work out.
@Dirty
That’s a great analysis
I really like eovaldi., especially if the Sox do make the postseason, he will be lock down.
Quantrill, man..I thought he was going to be good…but injury’s, and the fact he was sent to the Rockies really hurt his career.
I can’t disagree with your comments, but regarding Giolito, if Sox don’t at least get 25 starts of 4.50 ball from that guy, it will be a gigantic waste of $38+MM (hated the deal from the jump, and it’s obviously looking even worse now).
@rsox
I’m just a firm believer in gio, his career has been derailed due to injury, like I said, he’s in a Patrick Corbin situation right now, but I REALLY think he could be good.
Also
If we are taking risks on stellar human beings like Chapman, there is a top of the rotation starter wasting away in Mexico who is long past deserving of a call…..
rsoxbob – I think it’s fair to say it’s already been a huge waste of money and anything he does well in 2025 will simply reduce the damage but it will still be damage since he didn’t pitch but got paid. Gambling by Breslow in 2024 with Giolito and O’Neill didn’t go so well. This deal for Chapman once again is a gamble. It would be really great if he actually acquired a rock solid player to fill the SP1 and/or SP2 spots in the rotation, but that just doesn’t seem to fit Breslow’s approach to being a GM.
If “filling obvious, long-running roster needs with proven, reputable talent” isn’t part of Breslow’s “philosophy” as a GM, then I suppose they can continue to sit there and wonder why “watching 120+ games per season” is no longer part of my “philosophy” as a fan.
If you were signing Gio at that point in his career to be your 4th SP, its a fine deal, if you signed him (as teh Sox did last year) to be your 1 SP, its going to suck whether he pitches or not.
I would prefer to go into the season with five ML arms in ADDITION to Giolito. I’m not convinced he has anything left (hasn’t been good since 2021), and even if he does pitch well, I’m not expecting that until June or July.
I don’t hate it
So this is the lefty they went with instead of chasing Scott. Chapman can be useful if he stays away from walks.
Scott would have cost too much money, they can get Chapman for cheaper.
Idk if he’s cheaper, he’s easier to part with
As an O’s fan, the Sox are definitely the biggest concern IMO. For example, I’d actually rather Soto return to the Yanks than sign with the Sox. Sox are a couple pieces from being very scary.
That said, Chapman isn’t exactly keeping me awake at night. But it’s a decent signing.
You would rather see the Yankees, who won the AL East last year, and got to the World Series (where the wheels fell off), who are planning on improving weak areas from last year like 1B, (Rizzo was lousy), LF (Verdugo started out OK and then fell off a cliff), Closer, (Holmes led the league in blown saves-13) rather than the 81-81 Red Sox, who actually need more upgrades than NY? I repeat, you’d rather see the Yankees resign Soto than the .500 Red Sox?! You better think harder if you want your O’s to have a better chance to win the division. Meanwhile, I’ve heard the new ownership in the Charm City (Baltimore) is planning to spend more money than the miser, Peter Angelos, God rest his soul, did during his ownership, but I’m not convinced. I don’t think they will pony up the big bucks Corbin Burnes will get in free agency. You better think about that and the implications of losing him rather than where Soto ends up. But hey, maybe the O’s will package up some of their riches from down on the farm and maybe grab somebody like Garret Crochet. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the upcoming winter meeting to see the hot stove pick up after all these slow weeks with nothing much happening except all those endless rumors and trade speculation that permeates the sports internet.
Hate Chapman as a person, wish he signed with any other team be cause of the time he fired a gun after choking his wife.
@Joemo
As long as you don’t embarrass the league, they can stay in the league.
Speaking of embarrassing the league, I remember back in the day, mid-seventies I think, when 2 Yankee pitchers decided to swap wives. I believe it was Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich. As I recall, they even included their families as well. And this wasn’t on the sly, they actually announced it to the press. Crazy. I don’t remember how long it lasted or too many details, but eyebrow raising to say the least. I wonder if MLB Trade Rumors would have reported on it if they had existed at the time. Definitely a news worthy rumor in the baseball world. 🙂
I recall when the Dodgers had a deal in place to sign Chapman, only for it to be pulled when the report of his alleged DV incident came out.
Get over it. It was a decade ago. How many embarrassing mistakes have you made since then ??
There’s embarrassing mistakes and then there firing a gun in your garage after you get into an argument with your girlfriend.
There’s levels to this thing.
There’s also compassion and empathy which are mature emotions adults can obtain when they walk through their own trauma. There’s only one person that has the right to talk about this situation publicly and that’s the victim and it’s her choice. So if she forgives, then who are you to hold something that has nothing to do with you against him ?
Also, there is no level with gods judgment. His judgement is the same for you and everyone else every time, and that’s mercy.
An embarrassing mistake was when I zipped up a little too quickly at the urinal and dribbled a noticeable little bit on my khaki pants.
Never in my life have I assaulted or threatened a woman, the fact that you think behaving like such a lowlife falls under the category of some harmless momentary screw up is a bit concerning.
Never heard of using pee bib?
Shake it once, that’s fine
Shake it twice, that’s okay
Shake it three times
You’re playing with yourself again
Where do you fall on feeling up your mom?
Rothf
Didn’t he also touch his own mother inappropriately?
Yes, hence my comment
Nice cheap pick up. Someone the Phillies could have used to give the pen a little attitude.
10+ million is cheap for a reliever?
Oh no
Reeks of desperation
Yes, signing a good bullpen arm to a one year deal reeks of desperation. Very astute.
@Mc
like this comment.
McNasty – not
$5M too much at this stage of his career.
No Chris Martin return…
Character issues as well…..
Good grief….
@sox
5mil is perfect for where he is in his career right now, all he needs to do is limit walks, and figure out a new way to make his fastball more productive.
Go look at his stats for the past couple of years, he’s been very good.
he just gives up a good amount of runs due to so many walks.
A lot of Red Sox fans who mocked the Yankees for employing Chapman are eating crow right now
Probably not much different than the Yankee Fans who mocked/supported Verdugo
I think you missed my point. This has nothing to do with play on the field. Sox fans called the Yankees classless for employing a domestic abuser for years. Now that same guy is on their team
Yep. Red Sox fan here. Hate the signing. Hate Chapman. Thought ownership would have learned after the Barraclough stuff.
There were better options out there as well. More questionable moves by the Red Sox front office.
Correct. Like Joemo, am also a Sox fan who hates Chapman and hates the signing. Should be fine from a baseball perspective, however this is a human being I do not really want to root for…
You missed Soxfan1’s point. Verdugo has a very shady history, similar to Chapman, though he was much younger when it happened.
Wasn’t aware of that with Verdugo, but more than happy to add it to the list of reasons I don’t and never liked the dude.
I read the articles. Verdugo was around for part of the night, but I’ve never read anything that suggested he was in the room when the assault took place.
Nah, we were just trolling.
As a Pirates fan I knew that they’re not going to pay nearly $18 mil to the 2 guys who’ll pitch the 8th and 9th. Get ready for heat and a TON of walks. He’ll walk the bases loaded to start the 9th, then escape. Not worth the aggravation.
kenley has been like that with us so its not any different
I’m surprised Hoyer didn’t sign Chapman for the Cubs. Hoyer is always looking for low-cost bullpen arms, and Chapman has been on the upside as of late, so 10 million isn’t so bad for one year.
$10.75MM is low-cost?!?
It is considering what the Cubs just paid for Boyd…
Bur Boyd is not a reliever. He’s going to start every 5th day. Unfortunately.
Thick – he is a lot less than Kenley 2 yr / $32 million was!!!!!!
I’m sure his mother is proud
Hated when the Rangers would bring this guy in. It was cool at first, man he can throw fast, but he turned the game into a basketball game with a minute left and the score tied. You never knew what was going to happen. Seems like it was usually bad for the Rangers at the end.
squattinghen – Big Ranger fan and you described what I called “Mitch Williams II” perfectly. He’s the kind of guy who can walk the bases loaded then strike out the sides just to make the price of admission justified.
He pitched 9 times in the postseason for the Rangers in 2023 and never gave up the lead. So no, I wouldn’t say it was usually bad for the Rangers when he pitched, though it was definitely a roller coaster.
POS of a human being, though.
You know him ?
His ex wife will vow for me.
You know her ? If not, it’s more likely she will want to be left alone than having you talking her trauma. She was the victim, not you.
If he wasn’t a privileged athlete wondering how many 2nd chances he’d have?
I was hoping the Reds would bring him back as part of a good backend of the bullpen, but it looks like they will treat it as an afterthought and lose a bunch of games late again.
You mean like the Cubs?
This is not Soto
No but a good start ! Nice savvy move that may entice Soto instead of a bunch of bloated contracts for guys well over 30 like they Yankees have
And it never will be
Its not Soto, but Chapman did much better than Gregory, last year. When he’s on, Gregory Soto is unhitable! Maybe if Philly had put him in more high leverage situations after bringing him over from Detroit. I think being dropped to mid relief, after being a two time all star as a closer messed with his head. I doubt he’ll get $10MM.
I guess Trevor Bauer next
Wasn’t he a wife – beater so some such thing?
Fired a gun in his garage during that incident as well.
Seems like a guy who does well in high pressure situations.
You’re thinking of Ozuna who beat his wife in front of a cop
No, he went into his garage and fired off a couple of shots into the wall. Stupid idea, but that was 9 years ago.
Yeah I’m sure he got it all out of his system…
“Only” surrendered 5 leads out of 14? Math was never my favorite subject, but that’s about a 64.3% success rate, which isn’t good.
He converted 14 of 19 save opportunities last year.
Ok thanks for clarifying. That’s almost 74%. Better, but still not the 80% they say a closer should be at.
Only 2 of the 5 blown chances represent real blown saves.
How so?
3 of the blown saves were in the 8th inning or prior. Guys that are setup guys always have awful save ratios.
Chris Martin had 2 saves and four blown saves. Strahm was great all year, but had 3 saves and 6 BS. If you aren’t in a position to get a save, then you shouldn’t be charged with a blown save.
Ah, got it. Yes, for a setup guy you have to include holds in the equation for it to have any meaning. Thanks for pointing that out!
Factoring in holds, he was 36/41 in close lead situations, putting him at nearly 88% success rate in leverage spots. He’s still pretty volatile, but manages to get the job done often enough to be counted on.
That AB against Machado at the end of the season was great sports theatre.
I like it. He finished the season very strong, so I presume his arm is still in good shape. In addition, we cannot be sure what we will get in Hendriks. And even if Hendriks looks good, having a 2nd closer in your BP, plus a shutdown lefty, is always good.
Good move at a needed position. If we can get to old Whitlock back for 2-ining high-leverage appearances, the BP will be in good shape.
Mixed feelings. Waiting for the big move to come and he was not on the top of my list as far as getting the bullpen to the next level. With his past history and potential character issues, not really someone I was looking for on the Red Sox. On the other hand, he will definitely improve the bullpen as long as he is not the primary closer for the season and doesn’t let walks get the best of him.
Soto is signing with the Red Sox!
He will have to turn down more money from Mets but I think Boston is def in the running ! I hope he signs there.
Big whiffa – Gut feel or documented evidence he is interested from a reliable source?
Now c’mon dude, none of us would have documented anything. Give me a break. Take me, for instance. Not bragging, but I happen to have a lot of contacts in mlb. But even I don’t know where he’s leaning. He won’t even know until the final offers come in. Trust me, he wants two things: At least 600M and an AAV of 47M. Sure, he wants to win. But this one is about the $$$. As it usually is. Not always…usually.
More of a process of elimination
– There’s no one to compete with as face franchise like in NYY or SD or LA. Devers kinda but he’s more of a prolific role player to Boston fans. Not like Betts or Judge
– Players prefer not to play in Toronto
– There’s a stigmatism about the LOLmets where it just lacks the pedigree of Yankees, dodgers, and Boston.
I think he ends up w Mets bc they will pay the most, but if he passes on the most money, my bet is Boston
Only if the Sox are willing to import and pay for 5,000 Dominicans from the Bronx to root for him in every home game….all them good old BoSox fans don’t even know how to say SOTOO….lol
You do realize that Boston has the second largest concentration of Dominicans in the US, and that three of the franchise’s most beloved players from the last 25 years were all Dominican, right?
Doubt it. After signing two LH relievers in Chapman and Wilson, do they really need a third in Gregory Soto?
Depends on what he was signed for. If it was left handed specialist and back up closer it is a good signing. If they expect him to be the full time closer just another bargain bin attempt.
The Red Sox are already following last year’s path. They need a quality starter and Burnes is sitting there. They know the guy can perform in the AL East and they have MORE than enough money.
My bet is they do the gather 5 nickles instead of going for the quarter.
Burnes, Fried and other top free agents are likely waiting for Soto to sign so the teams that failed to sign Soto can throw big money at them.
All – I went back last night and read comments on this website from one year ago and I love your consistency. You are a believer who got to witness every player our team was associated with for big money not happen. I have great empathy for you.
Burnes, Fried and Soto are unfortunately outside the spending rules for the Red Sox. They are inside the ownership/front office hype framework but pulling the trigger on any of these guys is going to be meaningless since Henry pulled all the firing pins!!!
LOL! Thanks KD!
I really want this to be the offseason when the Red Sox actually get one or two, or three of those big names. We have waited long enough even if the team has to overpay.
The entitlement is strong with this one
The structure of the bullpen has been bad for years. The Red Sox have not had a reliable elite lefty reliever since 2013. That is a fact. They still don’t in this signing, but it does introduce another lefty option out of a pen that really needs upgrades, and desperately needed lefty options.
This is a stop gap measure. On its face, a good move for the right reasons that addresses an actual need on the team. A rarity, so enjoy it.
Bauer’s willing to pitcher for league minimum and base the contract on incentives. If they’re not met, the team can let him go anytime. Seems like a very good opportunity to get at least a #3 or 4 starter to bolster the rotation of any team at a low cost.
@old york. His incentives are probably easy to meet is my guess, but if montas got 17 for a year. I don’t see a problem with it.
Doesn’t Chapman have a WS ring with a big “C” on it?
It’s good to see that Theo has his hands in things again.
If this isn’t a full throttle kind of move I don’t know what is.
Blackpink – hahahaha loved the comment
UGH why??? Dudes Wild AF frequent melt downs and traffic, he throws 97 to 99…hitting the bull
Chapstick is cooked IMO and leaves 3 run saves at risk. Bad move
I know it’s kinda hard for relievers, even some pretty elite closers, to get into the Hall, but after looking at Chapman’s decade-long peak from 2010 to 2019, I absolutely think he should go in.
He won’t end up with 500 saves, and maybe not even 400, but he averaged a 2.23 ERA, 2.01 FIP, 1.02 WHIP, 184 ERA+, and a 14.8 K/9 for an entire freaking DECADE. If that’s not Hall-worthy, then what is the frigging point of the Hall anyway?
King – the writers will ‘Schilling’ him, and he will not get in the HOF, because ‘character’ is more important than being good at baseball…….
I heard he has most k’s ever for lefty reliever.
Clemens, Bonds, McGuire……
I would much rather pay Scott $15 million a year.
rather eat a pineapple whole
Cool. The NYY need a closer, so if you want to spend $60M/4, go right ahead.
So the Sox now have Chapman and are allegedly still in hot pursuit of Soto. What happens if, in a single game, I have to watch the loathsome Soto Shuffle at the plate, and then the Chapman stare-down after a K. I might puke! The Red Sox are getting away from me! Quick–dump the Soto quest and sign Fried!
Ah. The annual “flip Aroldis Chapman at the deadline” signing. Now the dominoes will fall…
I hope you’re right about that. One reliever name that hasn’t been mentioned by any commenter is Luis Guerrero, who I expect to step up BIG in the Sox BP in ’25.
Lets think back to our list of needs:
1 – Devers to DH
2 – ALL-STAR SP1
3 – ALL=STAR SP2
4 – Left Handed reliever to double as closer if needed
(not Tanner Scott but mark this need filled!!)
5 – Right Handed Power Hitting 3B
1 of 5 needs filled. Unfortunately still no all-star quality additions and the $20Million ceiling for new players still not re-defined so ITEMS 2 and 3 still highly unlikely but it’s progress because ONE need has been filled and it happened early in the off season!!
Felt like a coin toss for Chapman this year; either he was going to sit down all three batters on strikeouts and hit 105 a few times, or allow multiple runs.
Painful playoff loss coming on a pitch thrown by Chapman.
So you’re saying Chapman helps Boston get to the playoffs?!
At Fenway:
IP: 17.1
TBF: 87
K%: 31.0
BB%: 19.5
Avg: .224
WHIP: 1.85
BABIP: .333
FIP: 4.83
xFIP: 5.17
Best of luck to the Fenway faithful…
This is pointless since he’s not facing the Red Sox anymore
Next Red Sox signing = Juan Soto !
Well at least the RSOX have until the trade deadline to decide if Chapman at 37 still has the fastball and talent to get out batters in the clutch. The RSOX are still going to need a LHRP to backup Chapman. He is not the talent he was back in his prime.
Glad to see the Red Sox aren’t trying this year.
Did they sign his mom too? I hear he needs her for nutrition during the season
Why can’t Whitlock be the closer?People like velocity.Chapman has it.People like swing and miss.Chapman has it.Unless Bernardino was a better choice?
What does this mean for hendriks ?
Hendriks will have a role, probably more important than Chapman. Just not closer by committee, that doesn’t work.
Well spent 10mil in my opinion, not a lot of reliable late inning lefties out there on the FA market. A true set up man with closing experience that still gets lefties out at high rate.
Having watched him for a year here in Pittsburgh, I can’t say I’m sorry he’s gone. He’s a guy who can routinely hit 100+ on the gun and sneak in some killer spin pitches when he’s on, but all too often here, his lack of control resulted in blown leads in both close and not so close games. Very difficult to be a fan and watch him pitch—-really don’t know what you’re going to get and last season at least, too many blown leads on walks and dead red fastballs that get hit hard
But hey, he sure knows how to stare down batters after his strikeouts
What he’s worth
Red Sox fans really think that Hal will allow the Red Sox to outbid them to sign Soto. I absolutely don’t see the Red Sox signing Soto. Maybe the Mets will sign him or the Dodgers, but not the Red Sox.
Red Sox are only in on Soto to bring up the price for the Yankees
He walks a lot. He blows lots of leads. No one, including him, knows where the ball is going when he releases it. Even when he was successful, it wasn’t dominant. Always filled with drama. Good luck to sox fans blood pressure.
I look forward to reading Red Sox fan’s comments over the coming season.
Start buying your Chapman strength Tums now, before Boston markets sell out. I still have a bottle or two you can have if anyone runs out
No throttle.
I suppose that Chapman is decent complimentary reliever but the addition of him and Wilson are complementary bullpen adds they will still need to add another higher end arm such as Tanner Scott if they want this to be a legit bullpen. If they are adding Chapman to beat the back of this bullpen that’s a fail. Chapman just isn’t that guy anymore. If they add Scott or Hoffman maybe even Treinen or Clay Holmes this makes more sense but they still have to add a more reliable back end bullpen type.
They still have to sign Burnes or Fried and possibly either trade or sign for another starter. It’s fine to throw your hat in the ring for Soto and he’s a difference maker offensively but let’s not lose site of the fact Boston needs at least one guy to lead this rotation and a back of the bullpen guy. This is at a minimum.
If used correctly, he’s a weapon.
“if used correctly”
He made 68 appearances last year. Cora will reach that number by July 1st.
He’ll be a burnt out hulk by the trade deadline.
You’re confusing Cora with Boonedoggle, the arm destroyer.
40-man roster wasn’t full (as of writing, the article says it is). They lost Horn on waivers and haven’t used that spot (until now, for Chapman).
He hasn’t looked like peak Chapman in about three years.
I hope Breslow isn’t thinking of counting on him to close and also would point out nobody knows what post-injury Hendricks will provide.
They’ll need a bona fide, prime of baseball life closer.
I don’t think they’d ever look at him as a full time closer at this point. At most, a situational lefty in closing situations, presuming we don’t have a lock down closer.
The Sox clearly prioritized upgrading their lefty options in the pen this offseason and there are few options left if you don’t land Tanner Scott. They’re either hedging their bets against missing out on Scott, or they’ve already effectively bowed out after seeing the competition for him.
VLTC – Agreed. Breslow has said numerous times he wanted to upgrade the LHRP position. Last year’s group of Bernardino, Booser, and Horn were inadequate! Two minor league free agents and an independent league find do not cut it on a team trying to win a division title.
@darkhorses2010. But he will get Trade interest at the deadline if they need to move him.
Chapman, Wink, Slaten and Weissert. Closer by committee.
You forgot the actual closer, Hendriks
It’s an interesting idea to have more lefties in the bullpen when your starters are all righties. Or something.
Overpaid
@captain. Everyone one is overpaid when you have five bucks in your account.
Rex – agreed. MLB minimum is roughly $4000 per day or roughly $750,000 per season for playing a game, so i would agree they are overpaid compared to the surgeon who performed my prostate cancer surgery in June or hernia surgery last November.
Seventh different team since his domestic violence shenanigans.
Welcome to the headache World with Chapman,I feel sorry for the Yankees to let Soto go like Robinson Canó
Age 37 eligible for Medicare.
Arm strength left – not important.
Nothing has changed in Boston
As a MLB player, I still think he has a bit to offer. Price is probs a little high.
As a human, from what we have read thus far in his career, he’s pretty shiite. Personally I don’t like him on my team as that stuff matters to me and I think there are other options you could choose(but hey that’s just my pedantic position, so there’s that)
The revolving door of relief pitchers.
This is an excellent signing!
The Red Sox NOW need to focus on Starting Pitching by:
– Trading for Hunter Greene. He is a FRICKIN stud that would excel in a big market like Boston. Could Crawford, Casas, & Rafaela get it done?
– Trading for Crochet. Another FRICKIN stud that would excel in a big market like Boston. Could Abreu, Luis Perales, & Roman Anthony (yes I FRICKIN said RA) get it done?
2025 Starting Pitching:
– Houck RHP
– Greene RHP
– Crochet LHP
– Bello RHP
– Giolito RHP or Fitts RHP
2025 Closer: Aroldis Chapman LHP
This pitching staff would be FRICKIN exciting to watch!!