Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman won the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award for the second time in his career on Thursday. The 37-year-old previously earned the honor with the New York Yankees in 2019.
In his 16th Major League season, Chapman put up monstrous numbers, finishing with a 1.17 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP across 61 1/3 innings. He picked up 32 saves in 34 opportunities, striking out 85 batters while limiting opponents to a .132 batting average.
At one point, Chapman retired 50 consecutive hitters over 14.2 innings from July 23 to September 10, a stretch that lasted nearly seven weeks without allowing a hit. His opponents had a .132/.189/.198 slash line against him.
Chapman’s velocity remained superlative despite his age, averaging 99.8 mph on his fastball, placing him in the 98th percentile among MLB pitchers. He also earned his first All-MLB First-Team selection, joining teammate Garrett Crochet, and made his eighth All-Star team in recognition of his exceptional season.
Chapman secured a contract extension with the Boston during the season, keeping him under team control through 2026 with a vesting option for 2027. Boston will rely on him to anchor their bullpen and provide consistent ninth-inning security moving forward.
Meanwhile, in the National League, New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz claimed his second Reliever of the Year award, having won once before in the AL. In 66 1/3 innings this year, Díaz maintained a 1.63 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, striking out 98 batters while averaging 13.3 K/9. His total of 28 saves this season made it the seventh time in his nine-year career that he reached at least 20 saves.
The 31-year-old also earned All-MLB Second-Team honors and made his third All-Star team. Diaz recently opted out of the final year of his Mets contract, making him a free agent this offseason.
