Aroldis Chapman added another line to his résumé on Monday night, and the Red Sox kept right on grinding out wins.
Boston finished off a 4-2 comeback over the Miami Marlins after scoring three runs across the final two innings, then Chapman handled the 32nd save chance of his season. He did allow a leadoff baserunner, but that was about as messy as it got before he shut the door.
The save was more than just another notch for Chapman. It moved him into rare territory in Major League Baseball history, making him the fourth closer ever with 10 or more seasons of at least 30 saves. Francys Romero and Baseball Reference identified the only others in that club as Mariano Rivera, who reached the mark 15 times; Trevor Hoffman, with 14; and Lee Smith, with 10.
Chapman’s path to that kind of longevity has been a little different from the others on the list. He has produced 30-save seasons for the Red Sox, Yankees and Reds, while also spending time with four other teams during his career. Smith, by comparison, played for eight teams, while Rivera and Hoffman built their numbers during far longer runs with the same clubs.
For Boston, the win was its fourth straight, and each one has come by way of a comeback. It also pushed the Red Sox back to 13 games over .500 for only the second time this season.
The bullpen continues to be a major reason why. Even with Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten on the injured list, the relief group has kept delivering.
Erik Miller held the line in the eighth despite a left-field error by Jarren Duran, and that opened the door for Anthony Seigler’s go-ahead RBI triple into the right-field corner. Nick Sogard added an insurance run with a single, the kind of late cushion Boston has leaned on a lot lately.
Chapman’s resurgence with the Red Sox over the last two years has been impressive. So has this run Boston has put together since June 25.
In Other News...
Garrett Crochets Rehab Just Changed Bostons Long-Term Outlook
Garrett Crochets rehab is starting to look more substantial, even if the Red Sox are still being patient with the left-hander. He has been on the injured list since April 25 with shoulder and lat issues, but he is now throwing out to 90 feet with intensity, a sign that his return-to-play process is moving forward after a long stretch away from game action.
The bigger twist for Boston arrived with the calendar, not the mound. On his 120th straight day on the injured list, a provision in Crochets six-year, $170 million deal kicked in, wiping out his opt-out after the 2030 season and adding a club option for 2032. If he does pitch again this year, the Red Sox are expecting that to come in a bullpen role, leaving the team to balance the immediate need for his arm with a contract that now carries even more long-term weight. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Roster Crunch Could Be About To Get Real
Roman Anthony is set to continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday, keeping one of the Red Soxs most closely watched young players on the comeback track. Meanwhile, Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are both slated for evaluations Monday as the club tries to determine whether either is ready to return, adding another layer to a roster situation that has been building for days.
Chad Tracy said the team should have more information after its upcoming games, which means the picture could shift quickly depending on how those rehab checks go. For Boston, the interest is less about the rehab assignments themselves than what they might trigger next, since a few decisions could be coming in short order once the evaluations are complete. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Have A Bigger Chad Tracy Decision Waiting After This Run
Since Chad Tracy took over in April, the Red Sox have played well enough to make his status one of the quieter but more important storylines hanging over the rest of the season. He is still the interim manager for now, but the way Boston has responded to him has already pushed him to the front of the conversation about the clubs long-term direction, and he has earned a level of trust inside the clubhouse that managers do not build overnight.
The Red Sox are reportedly leaning toward giving Tracy the job full time before the 2027 season, though no final call has been made. For now, the club plans to let the season finish and then weigh his work as a whole, even as he has emerged as a leading AL Manager of the Year candidate and given Boston a much steadier footing than it had when he first stepped in. [Read more 🡒]