Aroldis Chapman is having one dominant season for the Boston Red Sox, which continued Sunday night with a four-strikeout ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Though the Boston closer didn’t record another 1-2-3 save, Chapman’s incredible hitless streak continued.
Chapman was called upon to close out a 7-4 win for the Red Sox in Phoenix on Sunday, as Boston was able to squander the final game of a three-game set with the Diamondbacks. He logged his 29th save of the season and is now up to 17 straight appearances without allowing a hit, but he needed an extra out to do so.
It was really just another opportunity for Chapman to sit a batter down by way of the K. Which he did in emphatic fashion.
Chapman started his 60th appearance of the season by striking out Blaze Alexander on five pitches. He followed it up by fanning pinch-hitter Ildemaro Vargas on six pitches, but his 91 mph splitter was a bit wild and got by catcher Carlos Narvaez, allowing Vargas to make it to first.
It broke up a string of 21 straight batters retired by Chapman, but the rare baserunner was no bother to him. He struck first baseman Tyler Locklear on an 86 mph slider, and then ended the game by getting third baseman Jordan Lawler swinging at a filthy 97 mph sinker. Both were retired on six pitches.
Chapman became the second pitcher to log a four-strikeout inning this season, joining his Boston teammate Steven Matz, who accomplished the feat while with the St. Louis Cardinals in June. Chapman is now up to 81 strikeouts in his 55 innings on the season, to just 14 walks on the year.
Aroldis Chapman’s hitless streak continues
We’re running out of adjectives to describe Chapman’s season out of the Boston bullpen, but absurd feels the most fitting. He owns a miniscule 0.98 ERA after Sunday’s performance, and is now up to 17 straight appearances (spanning 14.2 innings) without allowing a hit.
Chapman’s hitless streak, which dates back to June 26, is the third-longest streak since 1901 behind only the 20 straight hitless appearances by Randy Choate of the Marlins in 2011 and the 18 straight hitless appearances by Mets reliever Tim Byrdak in 2018.
Chapman hasn’t allowed a run in over six weeks, either. A runner last crossed home plate against him back on July 23, when he surrendered a solo home run to J.T. Realmuto of the Phillies.
It’s been an incredible season for the seemingly ageless 37-year-old, who continues to light up the radar gun in the ninth inning. Chapman earned his eighth career All-Star nod earlier in the summer, and is fresh off being named the American League Reliver of the Month for a dominant August.
The Red Sox signed Chapman to a one-year contract extension, with an option for the 2027 season, on Aug. 31.