The name of Aroldis Chapman once again placed himself among the great protagonists of the Major Leagues. The Cuban closer of the Boston Crimson Sox He reached a new level in his career after entering the Prime 10 of top savers in MLB history.
With his recent rescues against the Atlanta Braves and the Kansas City Royalsthe flamethrower born in Holguín came to 378 savesa figure with which he left behind Joe Nathan, who finished his career with 377.
The rise of the Cuban not only confirms the validity of one of the most dominant relievers of recent decades, but also reopens the conversation about how far he can go on the list of historic rescues.
Aroldis Chapman already has Dennis Eckersley in his sights
After beating Joe Nathan, the next objective of Aroldis Chapman is another name of enormous weight within the Major Leagues: Dennis Eckersley.
The former American pitcher currently ranks ninth all-time with 390 saves, just 12 more than the Cuban.
Chapman’s momentum suggests the brand could fall soon. At 38 years old, the reliever is going through one of the most effective campaigns in recent times and remains a key piece of Boston’s bullpen.
In the staunch season sum 11 rescueshas worked 16.2 entries and boasts an impressive effectiveness of 0.54numbers that reflect the impact he continues to have despite the natural wear and tear of a long MLB career.
In addition to the saves, Chapman continues to stand out for the power of his arm, a characteristic that made him one of the most feared pitchers in baseball from his early years.
The “Cuban Missile” continues to defy the passage of time
For much of his career, Aroldis Chapman built a reputation linked to speed. His nickname, “The Cuban Missile,” was born thanks to straight lines that constantly exceeded 100 miles per hour.
As the years went by, the left-hander evolved and found new ways to stay competitive in the Major Leagues. Today he combines experience, management and the ability to dominate pressure situations, something essential for any closer.
His consistency is also reflected in an important fact: Chapman already accumulates 17 seasons in MLBa rare longevity for high-intensity relievers.
That journey allowed him to establish himself among the best closers of his generation and continue climbing positions in one of the most demanding departments in baseball.
Mariano Rivera is still far away, but Chapman remains among the elite
Although reaching Mariano Rivera It still seems like a complex mission, the Cuban continues to be part of the group of active relievers with mathematical possibilities of getting closer to the top.
Rivera finished his career with a high figure of 652 savesa brand that continues to be an absolute reference for modern closers.
Other active relievers with great careers also appear ahead of Chapman, such as Kenley Jansenwho accumulates 483 rescues, and Craig Kimbrelwith 440.
However, the Cuban continues to gain ground thanks to his consistency and the stability he found with the Crimson Sox during recent seasons.
Chapman just won another Mariano Rivera Award
The present of Aroldis Chapman It is not the product of an easy streak. The Boston reliever closed the 2025 season with 32 savesa performance that allowed him to win his second Mariano Rivera Award as the best reliever in the American League.
He achieved the first in 2019, when he recorded 37 saves and established himself as one of the most dominant arms on the circuit.
Now, as he continues to rack up saves and get closer to Dennis Eckersley, Chapman shows that he still has the fuel to remain among the big bullpen names in the Major Leagues.
And with each save, the Cuban continues to strengthen a legacy that already places him among the most important closers of his era.
Keep reading:
· Aroldis Chapman stalks the Prime 10 of saves in MLB: the Cuban continues to make history with Boston
· Dodgers acquire Mexican Alek Thomas
· Shohei Ohtani appears on the Forbes list as the richest baseball player in the world
