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Aroldis Chapman makes MLB history, becomes only relief pitcher to ever accomplish feat
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- Aroldis Chapman makes MLB history, becomes only relief pitcher to ever accomplish feat
MLB history was made Wednesday night when Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman reached a milestone that no other reliever has ever accomplished.
Chapman became the first relief pitcher in MLB history to record 1,400 career strikeouts when he struck out Cleveland Guardians outfielder Joe Adell in the top of the ninth inning. The 38-year-old then recorded two more strikeouts in the inning, bringing his career total to 1,402, as Boston secured a 1-0 victory.
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Chapman continues to rewrite the record books
Jul 22, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) celebrates with catcher Connor Wong (12) after defeating the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Chapman had already established himself as the all-time leader in strikeouts among relief pitchers earlier this season. On July 3, he surpassed Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm, who finished his career with 1,363 strikeouts and now sits second on the list.
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Wednesday's appearance was Chapman's first for Boston since Sept. 13, and he immediately delivered a dominant performance. He struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth inning on just 12 pitches, earning his 35th save of the season.
The save also marked the 10th season of Chapman's 16-year career in which he has recorded at least 30 saves.
Chapman has been a major contributor to Boston's bullpen throughout the season. He has recorded 71 strikeouts across 53 appearances, posting a 1.92 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. He has also reached at least 70 strikeouts in a season 13 times during his career.
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Red Sox prepare for postseason
Chapman's historic season comes as the Red Sox enter the final days of the regular season and look towards the postseason.
Boston sits at 85-73 and currently holds the second American League Wild Card position, four games ahead of the Chicago White Sox , who are 81-77.
The Red Sox have four games remaining. They will finish their three-game series against the Guardians on Thursday before closing out the regular season with three games against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.
With Boston battling for a playoff spot, Chapman will likely remain an important part of the team's late-inning plans. After adding another remarkable achievement to his résumé, the veteran reliever enters the final stretch of the season as MLB's only pitcher to reach 1,400 strikeouts exclusively as a reliever.
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