This Red Sox Pitcher Thinks Last Season Was Best Of His Career

Aroldis Chapman had a great year for the Boston Red Sox last season, and the veteran closer thinks it was the best of his long career.

“I think so,” The Red Sox’s closer said when asked if last season was his best season, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam. “I feel like every year of my career has had something good. I feel last year, a couple things came together.”

Chapman had a career-best 1.17 ERA last season. He recorded 32 saves and was an All-Star for the first time since 2021 with the New York Yankees. He was also the 2025 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year.

It was Chapman’s second Reliever of the Year Award. He is one of the best relievers of the last 20 years and has 367 career saves. He was unscored upon in his two postseason outings for the Red Sox as well.

Chapman signed an extension with the Red Sox during the season. It was a one-year, $13 million extension with a vesting mutual option for $13 million for next year. The option kicks in if Chapman works at least 40 innings and passes a physical after the season.

Chapman is once again expected to take on closer duties for the Red Sox next season. His four-seam fastball averaged 98.4 mph last season, putting him in the 98th percentile. His chase rate was in the 96th percentile. He ranked in the 97th percentile for whiff rate.

He is a true weapon for Alex Cora at the end of games. He has pitched at least 60 innings in each of the last two seasons, after not doing so for eight seasons before 2024. He does not seem to mind a large workload, but how often the Red Sox use the soon to be 38 year old will be something to watch.