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Red Sox closer tabbed as one of best relievers in baseball by MLB Insider
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- Red Sox closer tabbed as one of best relievers in baseball by MLB Insider
Aroldis Chapman had, arguably, the best season of his career in 2025 — a reality that showed for the Boston Red Sox when he took the mound and, now, in a look at the best relievers in baseball.
ESPN’s MLB Insider Buster Olney released his list of Top 10 Relievers Tuesday morning, putting the Red Sox’ closer at No. 4.
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Mason Miller ( San Diego Padres ), Edwin Diaz ( Los Angeles Dodgers ) and Jhoan Duran ( Philadelphia Phillies ) rounded out the top three spots.
Olney wrote:
“For the first time in his career, Chapman was able to command his fastball more consistently on the inner half of the plate, and he regained the degree of dominance he had in the first half of his career. At age 37, Chapman allowed the lowest walk rate of his career (6.6%), for a staggering OPS+ of 351. The Red Sox worked out a $13.3 million extension with him late in the regular season, which could turn out to be one of the biggest bargains of the upcoming season.”
Olney listed Garrett Whitlock at the top of his honorable mentions for the list.
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Chapman spoke at Boston’s spring training facility over the weekend about the upcoming season .
“Last year just motivates you to be better, to keep working not only physically but mentally,” Chapman said through a translator. “That’s what I’ve been doing in the offseason and here (in spring training), to have a similar year if not a better year than I had last year.”
Chapman added that he did feel like last season was his best yet.
“I was able to command my pitches in the best way that I have in my career,” Chapman said. “It’s something I’ve been working really hard on it. The main point for a pitcher is to throw strikes, and if I can do that as consistently as I did last year, I think I’m going to have a few more years left in me.”
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The Red Sox and Chapman came to an agreement on a contract extension in late August that is worth $13.3 million in 2026 and includes a vesting option for 2027 that could bring the two-year value of the deal to $26 million. The vesting option is based on innings pitched.
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