Aroldis Chapman shut the door on his former team on June 28 to finalize a bruising weekend for New York. The Boston Red Sox completed a series sweep of the Yankees, securing a 5-4 victory behind another record-tying appearance from the veteran closer. Chapman pitched one inning in the narrow win, striking out two batters across 23 pitches to cap off the three-game series.
He allowed one hit, one walk, and one earned run, bending but refusing to break as he closed out the game. The 38-year-old reliever was a constant problem for New York all weekend. He had already secured his 15th and 16th saves of the season during the first two games of the series before taking the ball again for the finale.
This specific performance carries heavy narrative weight. Chapman operated as the Yankees’ primary closer from 2016 to 2022, accumulating 153 saves during his seven-year tenure in the Bronx. Now pitching on a one-year contract with Boston for the 2026 season, he is actively building on a historic resume against the very lineup he used to protect. He currently stands as the all-time MLB leader in strikeouts for left-handed relievers and still holds the official Statcast era record for the fastest pitch ever recorded at 105.8 mph.