Red Sox agree to one-year contract with seven-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion Aroldis Chapman

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today signed left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman to a one-year contract for the 2025 season.

Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 40.

Chapman, 36, owns the highest average of strikeouts per 9.0 innings in Major League history (14.76; min. 100.0 IP), having recorded 335 saves with a 2.63 ERA (222 ER/760.0 IP) and 1,246 strikeouts in 796 career games with the Cincinnati Reds (2010-15), New York Yankees (2016-22), Chicago Cubs (2016), Kansas City Royals (2023), Texas Rangers (2023), and Pittsburgh Pirates (2024). The left-hander joins Mariano Rivera, Craig Kimbrel, and Goose Gossage as the only relief pitchers in Major League history to earn as many as seven All-Star Game selections (2012-15, ’18-19, ’21), while his eight seasons of 30 or more saves are tied for the most among active pitchers.

In 2024, Chapman ranked in MLB’s 99^th percentile in expected opponent batting average (.165) and strikeout rate (37.1%), as well as the 98^th percentile in average fastball velocity (98.7 miles per hour) while posting a 3.79 ERA (26 ER/61.2 IP) over a career-high-tying 68 appearances for the Pirates. He earned a save in each of his final eight outings of the season, and in his last six appearances he threw 5.2 scoreless innings while allowing zero extra-base hits and issuing zero walks. Chapman surrendered only one home run in his final 45 games of 2024 (44.1 IP), including none from August 3 through the end of the season (21.0 IP).

During the Statcast Era (since 2015), Chapman’s 2,450 pitches of at least 100.0 miles per hour are 770 more than any other pitcher, while he is responsible for eight of MLB’s 11 pitches of at least 105.0 miles per hour. He has recorded an ERA below 4.00 in 14 of his 15 Major League seasons, including an ERA below 3.00 in eight of them. Ranking fourth all-time in strikeouts by a relief pitcher, Chapman earned the 2019 Mariano Rivera Award as the AL’s top relief pitcher.

A World Series Champion with the 2016 Chicago Cubs and 2023 Texas Rangers, Chapman owns a 2.37 ERA (13 ER/49.1 IP) with 10 saves and 68 strikeouts in 44 career Postseason games. He is tied for eighth all-time in Postseason games pitched and his 12.41 strikeouts per 9.0 innings rank third among all pitchers to throw at least 40.0 Postseason innings. Since the start of 2017, Chapman has posted a 1.86 Postseason ERA (6 ER/29.0 IP) and .186 opponent batting average while recording six holds and converting all six of his save opportunities.

A native of Cuba, Chapman was signed by the Cincinnati Reds as a non-drafted free agent on January 11, 2010.

BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (40)

Pitchers (24): Brayan Bello, Brennan Bernardino, Cam Booser, Aroldis Chapman, Kutter Crawford, Cooper Criswell, Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, Lucas Giolito, Wikelman Gonzalez, Luis Guerrero, Liam Hendriks, Tanner Houck, Zack Kelly, Chris Murphy, Zach Penrod, Luis Perales, Quinn Priester, Chase Shugart, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Justin Wilson, Josh Winckowski

Catchers (1): Connor Wong

Infielders (6): Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, Trevor Story, Enmanuel Valdez

Outfielders (5): Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Jhostynxon Garcia, Rob Refsnyder, Masataka Yoshida

Infielder/Outfielders (4): Mickey Gasper, Romy Gonzalez, Ceddanne Rafaela, Nick Sogard