“It means a lot for me to be back here,” Chapman said via a translator on Monday. “All the preparation and hard work paid off for me. Representing my team here is great.”
Chapman is the only Sox player who could get in the game on Tuesday. Alex Bregman won’t play to avoid aggravating his strained right quad. Garrett Crochet pitched nine innings on Saturday and will just be a spectator.
Chapman is eager to pitch.
“Ninth inning,” he said, smiling at the idea.
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Chapman deserves the opportunity. He has converted 17 of 18 save chances this season, allowing five runs on 19 hits over 38 innings while striking out 58.
A pitcher once prone to walks has issued only 10.
“Hard work in the offseason,” he said. “I had to get ahead of the batters and throw strike one. It was a big thing I had to fix.”
Chapman has pitched so well that there have been suggestions the Sox should trade him while his value is so high.
The Yankees traded Chapman to the Cubs at the 2016 trade deadline, getting four players in return. That haul included Gleyber Torres, who played seven years for the Yankees and was a two-time All-Star.
The Yankees also obtained righthanded reliever Adam Warren, who appeared in 99 games with a 2.68 earned run average over three seasons.
They signed Chapman back as a free agent after he helped the Cubs win the World Series.
In 2023, the Royals traded Chapman to Texas for outfield prospect Roni Cabrera and lefthander Cole Ragans.
That was a steal. The 27-year-old Ragans is since 18-14 with a 3.35 ERA in 54 starts and was an All-Star last season.
Here’s the difference. The 2016 Yankees were 51-48 when they traded Chapman, in fourth place in the division. They also had Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller available to close.
The 2023 Royals were 23-59 when they made the trade, hopelessly out of contention.
The Red Sox are three games out of first place in the AL East and hold the second wild-card spot.
They also don’t have a closer waiting in the wings.
Justin Slaten is on the injured list. Garrett Whitlock has 10 career saves, two since 2023. Greg Weissert has three saves this season but also has blown five others.
Liam Hendriks, once an All-Star closer, is on the injured list and hasn’t pitched since May 27.
Jordan Hicks, acquired from the Giants in the Rafael Devers trade, has closed before but not since 2023. He also has a 4.83 ERA since 2024 and the Sox are his fourth team since 2023.
Then there’s this: The Red Sox have not made the playoffs since 2021. Eleven American League teams have in that time.
The Sox have not had a four-year postseason drought since 1991-94. Trading Chapman would send a message to the players that the front office doesn’t believe in them.
The message to the fan base would be that the team’s vow to compete this season was nothing but spin. Trading Devers was justifiable in the context of his not being willing to help the team by playing first base.
Trading Chapman for prospects would be indefensible unless the Sox collapse in the next two weeks.
Beyond that, Chapman wants to stay. The Sox have won 10 straight games and he’s picked up two saves.
“We’re hot, very hot,” he said. “The pitchers are doing their job; the hitters are doing their job. It’s a great combination.”
Chapman credits Alex Cora for helping him have success.
“First of all, he’s Latin and I can communicate with him any time I want. Second, he cares about his players. He cares about me and gives me confidence,” he said.
Chapman admitted he was concerned about the direction of the team when Devers was traded.
“My first reaction was ‘What is happening here?’” he said. “But that’s something I can’t control so you just keep going.”
His plan now is to go all the way to October.
“This is a good team,” said Chapman, who also earned a ring with the ’23 Rangers. “I think we’re going to get better. I like what we’re doing.”
Peter Abraham can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @PeteAbe.