Following a big win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the days leading up to the trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox appear to have avoided a major blow to the back end of their bullpen.
Closer Aroldis Chapman exited Sunday’s game in the middle of the eighth inning due to back tightness. After the game, manager Alex Cora said he does not expect Chapman to need a stint on the injured list and said the left-hander is day-to-day.
“Just a little spasm that I felt yesterday and just felt a little uncomfortable today, but nothing big,” Chapman said via a team interpreter. “Hope that in the next couple days I’ll be able to get back out there.”
Red Sox nation, take a sigh of relief. Aroldis Chapman on being taken out of the game:
“Just a spasm that should be gone in a couple days.” pic.twitter.com/Ra4AHkcOi2
— NESN (@NESN) July 27, 2025
The injury scare threatened to dampen the mood after a key 4-3 victory over the Dodgers that helped the Red Sox secure a series win over the National League West division leaders. The Red Sox will end the day as either the No. 2 or 3 wild-card team, depending on the result of the Seattle Mariners’ game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Chapman entered on Sunday with the Red Sox clinging to a one-run lead after Alex Bregman’s two-run homer in the fifth. He was set to face a key spot in the lineup, but faltered from the get-go. He walked Miguel Rojas on five pitches, the last ball coming on a pitch clock violation. Chapman’s velocity was noticeably down, with his fastball averaging 94.7 mph compared to his normally electric 98.5 mph average this season, as he struggled to find the zone.
The left-hander stayed in and walked Mookie Betts on five pitches before getting Shohei Ohtani to fly out, then Cora and a trainer came out to the mound to meet Chapman and catcher Carlos Narvaez. After a brief discussion, Chapman exited the game and Jordan Hicks entered to finish off the eighth, thanks to a key unassisted double play turned by Ceddanne Rafaela at second when he caught a liner and tagged second for the force out. Hicks collected his second save for the Red Sox with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
“Narvy saw it right away and the stuff was way down,” Cora said.
Chapman lobbied Cora to stay in the game to face Teoscar Hernández, but Cora didn’t want to risk it.
“We win as a team and lose as a team,” Cora said. “I went to talk to Chappy and he wanted to face Teoscar, I was like, ‘Bro, we have bigger things here, winning this game with you on the mound really doesn’t matter, we’ll bring Hicks in, he’ll do the job.’ He made a pitch and the kid (Rafaela) reacted very quick. His instincts are off the charts.”
Chapman pitched Saturday night, making 17 pitches and picking up the save in a 4-2 win.
The 37-year-old closer is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his 16-year career with a 1.30 ERA and 0.82 WHIP, along with a 39.1 percent strikeout rate and a career-low 7.1 percent walk rate heading into Sunday.
Chapman signed a one-year, $10.75 million deal last offseason with the Red Sox. Though the Red Sox are prioritizing starting pitching and a right-handed bat at first base, Chapman’s injury scare highlights the need for bullpen help as well.
(Photo: Brian Fluharty / Imagn Images)