Former New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman made his appearance in game one of the American League Wild Card series. His performance was the opposite of what the Yankees are used to.
Former Yankees Closer Flipped the Narrative in Game One for the Rival Red Sox
The new Boston Red Sox closer has settled in his role, looking more composed, professional, and dialed in. Chapman’s ninth-inning appearance in the Bronx last night appeared very familiar at first sight.
The Red Sox entered the inning with a 3-1 lead, and the heart of the Yankees’ order was due up. Chapman’s first matchup of the inning was Paul Goldschmidt, who led off with a single to right field.
Aaron Judge then singled to center field, followed by a Cody Bellinger single to center field. This loaded up the bases with none out. Where did the “new era” Chapman come in? During pressure times.
Chapman went on to strike out Giancarlo Stanton, forcing a fly-out and ending the game with a strikeout of Trent Grisham.
*runs through brick wall* pic.twitter.com/pMsBcfABwD
— Red Sox (@RedSox) October 1, 2025
What Differences did Chapman Show?
What did we see that was different from Chapman? A better tempo in his delivery, between pitches and between batters. His delivery was more consistent, with a release point and a pitch that stuck at the end.
He was able to locate his fastball and used a splitter that was recently developed. He threw most of his pitch types for strikes, and his velocity increased as his outing went on. Chapman has changed his approach, giving him a more competitive outlook compared to the end portion of his Yankees career.
Chapman ranks sixth on ESPN’s top 30 MLB closers of 2025. He finished the regular season with 32 saves, two blown saves, and a 1.17 ERA. He has a 94.1% save rate.
Chapman ranks a lot higher than any Yankees closer at present. This stings for Yankees fans, as the club struggles in the late innings of relief.
Main Photo Credits: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
