MLB insider predicts Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman will win prestigious award after having legendary season originally appeared on The Sporting News
Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman has put video game numbers in his age 37 season, and he’s put the whole MLB on notice. Now, with the regular season winding down, Chapman may be on his way to earn some recognition for what he’s done.
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The Athletic’s Jim Bowden believes he will, and thinks that Chapman will win the Mariano Rivera Reliever of the Year award, and rightly so.
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“At age 37, Chapman is finishing up arguably the best season of his 16-year career. For the first time, he has focused on fastball command, and it has been a huge difference-maker. Although he won’t lead the AL in saves, he’s converted 30 with an incredible 1.26 ERA, 82 strikeouts and only 14 walks in 57 1/3 innings. This is the best walk rate of his career. He’s been nearly unhittable, as batters have hit just .161 against his triple-digit four-seam fastball, .097 against his sinker, .167 vs. his slider and .100 against his split-finger. The eight-time All-Star recently signed a one-year extension with the Red Sox,” Bowden wrote.
Chapman has broken multiple records this season, breaking his own strikeout record in an inning with four, had a sub-one ERA at one point, and went 17 consecutive appearances without a hit against him.
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With that in mind, he is a no-doubter for the award. He literally had one of the best reliever seasons of all time, and if he doesn’t get the award, it just won’t make sense.
Hopefully it’s an unanimous vote, and Chapman gets the hardware he so definitely deserves.
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