Aroldis Chapman made history Monday afternoon in Boston … I’m not entirely sure why America isn’t freaking out about it. I guess there are other things going on? Also, Chapman isn’t the easiest guy in the world to root for.
But facts are facts.
Chapman entered the game in the ninth with the Red Sox leading Cleveland 6-4. In short order:
Chapman threw a 95-mph sinker that Jhonkensy Noel hit well but got under for a fly ball to center.
Chapman whiffed Brayan Rocchio on three pitches — a 98-mph fastball, a nasty slider over the heart of the plate, and an even nastier slider in the dirt.
Chapman fired a 99-mph fastball that Steven Kwan hit to center for out No. 3.
Five pitches. All strikes. An easy save.
And that was Chapman’s 16th consecutive appearance where he did not allow a hit. That’s a record.
Well, technically, it’s not quite a record because LOOGYs used to be a thing in baseball. Randy Choate (20 consecutive hitless appearances) and Tim Byrdak (18 consecutive) have slightly longer streaks, but I’m just not going to count the ol’ Lefty One Out Guys. Choat faced just one batter in 14 of his 20 appearances; Byrdak faced one batter in 13 of his games. Not the same thing.
This hitless streak is in the middle of what is truly a bonkers season for Chapman. He has not allowed a hit since July 23. How long ago was July 23? That was the day that North Carolina announced that it had sold all its football tickets because fans were so excited about the Tar Heels’ new coach, Bill Belichick. How many of those tickets are on StubHub now?*
*Belichick’s debut against TCU was so dreadful and hopeless that reporters should refuse to ask him questions instead of the other way around.
But it’s more than that. Chapman has allowed one run since mid-June. He has exactly a 1.00 ERA for the season, and he has a .648 WHIP.
Lowest WHIPs in a season (min. 50 innings pitched)
Year | Innings | WHIP | |
|---|---|---|---|
Jacob DeGrom | 2021 | 92 | .554 |
Koji Uehara | 2013 | 74⅓ | ,565 |
Dennis Eckersley | 1989 | 57⅔ | .607 |
Dennis Eckersley | 1990 | 73⅓ | .614 |
Aroldis Chapman | 2025 | 54 | .648 |
Chapman has long been a problematic figure. Back in 2015, Chapman was involved in an ugly domestic violence incident, and though no charges were filed — as often is the case in ugly domestic violence incidents — the details that emerged were gruesome (he allegedly choked his girlfriend and fired eight shots) and he was suspended by MLB.
I bring this up here because I feel pretty certain that if not for his personal behavior, we already would be talking about Chapman as a future Hall of Famer. He is almost unquestionably the hardest thrower in the history of baseball, he’s closing in on 400 saves, he has struck out 15 batters per nine innings, and at age 37, he’s better than ever. He’s cut his walks in half. He still gets more swings and misses than anyone in the game. And he might never give up another hit.
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