Four days before the trade deadline, Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman exited Sunday’s game in the middle of the eighth inning due to back tightness.
“Just a little spasm that I felt yesterday,” Chapman said via an interpreter. “Just felt a little uncomfortable today, but nothing big.”
With the Red Sox clinging to a 4-3 lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chapman entered the game to face a tough pocket in the lineup beginning with No. 9 hitter Miguel Rojas. He walked 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.
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 left-hander stayed in and walked Mookie Betts on five pitches before getting Shohei Ohtani to fly out before manager Alex Cora and a trainer came out to the mound. After a brief discussion, Chapman exited the game and Jordan Hicks entered to finish off the eighth. Hicks collected his second save for the Red Sox with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
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, who won an important series against the Dodgers but now approach the trade deadline hoping Chapman’s back problems end up being just a brief setback.
(Photo: Brian Fluharty / Imagn Images)