When Chapman was a young kid, he was a boxer, trained by his father. He started playing baseball at age 11 and was a first baseman until 15, when his team one day needed someone to take the mound. He rarely played first base after that.

"In Cuba, one of the first things they teach you is how to throw the fastball," Aroldis said. "I was a fast learner."

On July 1, 2009, Chapman left the Cuban national team at the World Port Tournament in the Netherlands, defecting so that he could pitch in the United States. The Cuban team did not confiscate the players' passports. That was an open door for Aroldis, and he walked through it.

He escaped to a Rotterdam hotel that was followed by four days of partying in Amsterdam, 22 hours of driving through France with an MLB agent and a few months spent establishing residency in Andorra, Spain, so he could establish residency. One of his first purchases after arriving in town was a Barcelona soccer team jersey with his name and his #52 on the back.

He left behind a newborn daughter, Ashanti Brianna, with his girlfriend of two years, Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas. The baby was born on June 28, three days before Aroldis defected, and he did not even get to meet her. Chapman also left behind his parents, Juan Albert Chapman Benett and Maria Caridad De La Cruz; and two sisters, Yusmila and Yurixan. Chapman has never met the toddler, but he proudly shows off the tattoo of her name on his right triceps to anyone who asks about her.

"I miss them a great deal, but you have to know how to recover and move on," Aroldis said. His parents and girlfriend were later reunited with him, all of them living in his south Florida home.

But Chapman's first stop in the U.S. was White Plains, New York, where he lived with his first agent, Edwin Mejia for two months.

Although Aroldis considers himself a shy, introverted person, his charisma is obvious, which should lead to many endorsement opportunities throughout his career. He is always polite, thanking people for their time and shaking their hand. He is patient, relaxed and easy.

Friends say he is shy around strangers, but people close to him can't get him to shut up. Teammates regard Chapman as cordial, but distant.

"Sometimes, when he's not here mentally, you don't know where he is," then-Reds manager Dusty Baker said in 2011.

Since becoming a millionaire, Aroldis has spoiled himself with flashy jewelry, fast cars (a Lamborghini), and fine food, mostly steak. The vanity plates on his Lamborghini read "102 mph," which is actually an understatement.

Perhaps to correct that error, Chapman showed up for 2011 spring training with a tattoo on his left wrist of a baseball with a trail of flames, and the inscription "105.1 MPH," in honor of the pitch he threw to Padres OF Tony Gwynn Jr. in September 2010.

He also had "Jesus" inked onto his right breast.

Aroldis is a Univision junkie, with an interest in several Spanish-language soap operas.

He likes hearty American food, attacking the post-game spread like a horse, gobbling down anything, yet never gains unnecessary weight.

Chapman has a long, lean frame and high, prominent cheekbones.

Growing up in a communist country, Chapman saw his inner fashionista seriously restrained by a lack of money and material. Most people in his hometown of Holguin have access only to basic jeans, tennis shoes, and T-shirts. Even those who could afford a more exotic look couldn't obtain it.

"Where I come from, you're not allowed to do anything, so I wore the most simple clothes you could imagine," he says.

Aroldis says he owns 60 pairs of shoes, all Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Coach. He buys fitted long-sleeve shirts as if they were going out of stock. If he gets chilly in Cincinnati, he keeps warm with tight leather jackets, thin gloves and bandanas.  (Molly Knight-ESPN the Magazine-4/04/11)

May 21, 2012: Chapman was arrested by police in the Columbus suburb of Grove City for speeding and driving with a suspended license. Aroldis was going 93 mph on northbound Interstate 71 shortly before 1:00 a.m.

May 29, 2012: Chapman's room at the Omni William Penn hotel was robbed. Aroldis was not there when police arrived, because he and the Reds were at the ballpark. But when they arrived, police found a 26-year-old woman tied up and crying in Chapman's room.

Officers were alerted of the distressed woman by two guests who heard her screaming for help, according to the Post-Gazette. The guests, who were staying on the same floor of the hotel, found the woman inside an open room with her hands bound by cloth napkins, police spokesman Diane Richard wrote in a news release obtained by the Post-Gazette.

The unidentified woman, whom Richard said was from Silver Spring, MD, was "the hotel guest of a male who attended the Pirates baseball game and who was not present at the time of the incident. During this incident, the male guest had various items taken and was later interviewed by detectives," the news release said.

According to the Post-Gazette, the woman told police a man claiming to be a hotel maintenance worker there to fix a toilet knocked on the hotel room door. After she opened it, the man demanded various items in the room, and when she denied him, he bound her and took several things, including jewelry, a computer, credit cards, and ID cards, according to the police department's news release.

The woman was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh.

However, on June 21, 2012, that woman was charged with filing a false police report. Claudia Manrique of Silver Spring, MD, was charged by Pittsburgh police with a misdemeanor and must return to Pittsburgh City Court for a preliminary hearing Aug. 28. Manrique was not arrested; a court summons was being mailed to her.

Chapman told police he arranged for Manrique, an exotic dancer he had met earlier this year, to fly to Pittsburgh in May. The Reds were in town for a series with the Pirates at the time. Police investigators contend Manrique lied when she claimed she was tied up in Chapman's hotel room by an unknown assailant who made off with about $6,000 in jewelry and other items the night of May 29.

Manrique first told police the man showed up at the room pretending to be a maintenance man who was there to fix the toilet, but she later changed her story, saying she first encountered the man in a downtown drug store, and he later showed up at Chapman's room seeking a bag filled with more than $200,000 in jewelry. Police said the bag contained some of Chapman's jewelry but was not among the items taken that night.

Aroldis is liked by his teammates but has gained a reputation as a loner. There are nights he would rather relax at home accompanied only by King, his pit bull, and a cocker spaniel named Yuma.

Pre-game: "I pray right before getting on the field. I pray to God. I get on the mound and there is no other thought that I think about except the next pitch and the batter," Chapman said.

Favorite sport, other than baseball: boxing. Three athletes he enjoys watching: LeBron James in basketball; Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson, who used to play in the NFL; and Derek Jeter.

Aroldis was asked what personality qualities he admires, and said, "A person who is humble. And a person who is very courteous to everyone. Being humble and being courteous."

Aroldis bought his $1.8 million home in Davie, Florida, mainly because it reminded him of American mansions he had seen on TV shows like "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air."

It has a grand entry hall, oil paintings, an eight-seat movie theater, and a five-car garage, all within an hour's drive from Miami. It is close enough to a Cuban community, but removed from the temptations of South Beach.

Chapman's only mode of transportation in Cuba had been a friend's broken-down bike. He bought a Lamborghini with an additional $40,000 worth of custom work. Then, his new teammates chuckled while watching him spend 15 minutes trying to maneuver the car into a parking space at the stadium.

Aroldis has a small circle of confidants, including his parents, who arrived in 2013. His daughter, Ashanti Brianna, and her mother, Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas, finally joined him in 2014. He won't talk about the details of how they left Cuba. (Sept. 26, 2014)

June 22, 2015: Aroldis's third child was born. His two other children are daughter Ashanti Brianna and son Atticus Gabriel.

July 2015: Chapman was selected to his 4th consecutive All-Star Game. Each time has been by his peers in the big leagues.

DOMESTIC DISPUTE

October 30, 2015: Aroldis was involved in another domestic violence incident with his girlfriend. Though not everything was revealed, a police report mentioned that Chapman fired eight gunshots in the garage of his home in Davie, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale. Then, before a trade to the Dodgers could be finalized, more info came out. 

Chapman's girlfriend told police the incident started when she questioned him about something on his cellphone. Chapman admitted to police that he fired the gun but denied choking his girlfriend. She said he both "pushed" and "shoved" her.

Aroldis told officers the two were arguing about his cellphone in a separate room when he became "aggravated" and "pushed her against the wall."

Her brother came in to break up the argument, and her mother also tried to intervene, according to the report. Then, Chapman got in the passenger seat of his vehicle and "punched the passenger side window with his left fist inside the vehicle, creating a laceration to his left pinkie knuckle."

Chapman, according to the report, said he then retrieved his pistol, locked himself inside his garage, fired "several shots" and threw the pistol away inside the garage. Crime scene investigators later recovered eight shell casings inside the garage. It was not immediately clear whether Chapman had a license for the firearm.

After they arrived, officers made several attempts to reach Chapman, and they set up a perimeter around the home to check for firearms and question any witnesses involved in the incident.

Police said in the report that they did not make any arrests because of inconsistencies in stories and lack of physical evidence of injuries. Four days later, Assistant State Attorney Marcie Zaccor said there was insufficient evidence to charge Chapman in the incident. Photographs of the alleged victim's neck and chest were submitted to the Davie Police Property Control, but she left the scene of her own accord and signed an affidavit of complaint "advising she did not wish to prosecute."

January 21, 2016: Chapman did not face charges for the October 2015 domestic dispute between the Yankees reliever and his girlfriend, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "We are all pleased that the Davie Police Department and the Office of the State Attorney took the time to fully investigate the matter and have concluded that charges were not warranted," Chapman's lawyer Paul Molle told the newspaper.

April 3-May 9, 2016: Chapman was placed on the restricted list for 30 regular season games. Chapman became the first player to be penalized under Major League Baseball's new Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse policy. 

August 14, 2016: "Smack My Bitch Up” shouldn’t be on any playlist in any arena or ballpark. And yet, somehow, it happened at Wrigley Field during a Cubs game after an inning pitched by a guy who just that year was suspended 30 games for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy.

The Cubs authored their entry into the growing list of avoidable public relations disasters in Chicago baseball when the Wrigley DJ decided it would be a good idea to play the Prodigy song after Chapman’s outing against the Cardinals.

Chapman was suspended for an incident in which he allegedly choked his girlfriend and fired a gun eight times, though he never faced charges.

When the team announced the Chapman acquisition three weeks ago, the Cubs' public relations team put out preemptive statements from Chapman and Chairman Tom Ricketts addressing the past and attempting to put it behind them. This team knew it was acquiring a figurative headache and wanted to mitigate the amount of damage done to the brand in the process.

The Cubs responded to the massive social media backlash for the incident by firing the DJ who played the song. (Matt Lindner/Redeye)

April 29, 2016: Aroldis posted a photo on Instagram that showed him posing with his newly acquired documents at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices. "Today is a very important day for me and I want to share it with all of you," Chapman posted. "Today, April 29, 2016, I've [become] a U.S. citizen and I want to thank God and this great nation for the opportunities it has offered me and my family. Very happy to say that I'm a U.S. citizen." (Hoch - MLB.com) 

Dec 16, 2016: Chapman said that he did not agree with how Chicago manager Joe Maddon and the Cubs used him in the postseason, specifically pointing to his surprise relief appearance in Game 6 of the World Series against the Indians. Chapman was summoned in the seventh inning of Game 6 at Progressive Field with Chicago holding a 7-2 lead. He recorded four outs in a 20-pitch appearance that he said taxed him for the decisive Game 7, when he blew the save in a 35-pitch outing that included surrendering a game-tying, eighth-inning homer to Cleveland's Rajai Davis.

"Personally, the way he used me during the playoffs, I believe there were a couple of times where maybe I shouldn't be put in the game and he put me in," Chapman said through an interpreter. "So I think, personally, I don't agree with the way he used me. But he is the manager, and he has the strategy. My job is to be ready, to be ready to pitch whenever that is, however many innings it is. I need to be ready for that, and I need to go in to do my job."

Chapman worked in five of the seven World Series games, but he said that he never voiced his concerns to Maddon or the Cubs.

"I never told them my opinion about the way he was using me, because the way I feel is that as baseball players, we're warriors," Chapman said. "Our job is to be ready to do what we need to do on the field. If they send me out there to pitch, I'm going to go out and pitch.

"If I'm healthy, I'm going to go out there and pitch. If I'm tired, I'm going to put that aside and just get through it. It's kind of like a warrior, you know, they send you somewhere and you've got to go there. Your mentality is that you have to go there and do your job. That's the way I see it."

Maddon said that he was surprised to hear Chapman's comments and that he consulted the pitcher about his usage before every game. Maddon also praised Chapman's contributions for the World Series champs.

"I know the home run probably bothered him a little bit and that's probably the residue of what sits in his mind," Maddon said. "But moving forward, all I know is I loved having him and I thought we had a great relationship. He's one of a kind, man. I've never been on the field with a more athletic pitcher. Anybody that strong, anybody who can do what he does. It's not even once in my lifetime, it's once in a century." (B Hoch - MLB.com - Dec 16, 2016)

July 2018: Aroldis was selected to play in the MLB All-Star game, but he had been battling tendinitis in the knee since early May, and though he said the discomfort has not increased markedly, he has made the "tough decision" to bypass participating in the Midsummer Classic.  

June 2020: Chapman will soon be roaming the streets of New York in style, and it will be hard to miss him.

The Yankees closer is the new owner of a custom-made, six-wheel Jeep that is lined with black Kevlar on the outside and red fabric on the inside, including Chapman’s “The Cuban Missile” logo.

“The thing is an absolute monster,” Joe Ghattas, the owner of South Florida Jeeps, told The Post. “It’s huge, it’s loud and it’s just offensive to all the senses.” (Greg Joyce)

Sept 19, 2020: Chapman’s appeal of a three-game suspension could require a second hearing, thus delaying any served games until the 2021 season, Boone said.

Chapman participated in a hearing during the off day in New York. Boone said his understanding was there could be “more information to be inserted” into Chapman’s case, with additional voices yet to be heard.

The left-hander received a three-game suspension and a fine after throwing a pitch near the head of the Rays’ Mike Brosseau on Sept. 1 at Yankee Stadium, which Chapman has said was not intentional. Boone and Rays manager Kevin Cash received one-game suspensions, and those were served on Sept. 2. (B Hoch - MLB.com - Sept 19, 2020)

July 2021: Chapman was chosen to pitch in the All-Star Game.

Sept. 2022: Chapman decided to play for Team Cuba in the 2023 WBC.

Aroldis Chapman will go down in history as one of the best closers of all time, but his Yankees career didn’t end well last year, as he was left off their playoff roster after missing a mandatory workout. His last save of the season was on May 17, and he even spent time on the injured list because of an infected leg tattoo. He lost command and control as well as 1 mph off his fastball. But this is a seven-time All-Star reliever with career marks of 315 saves, 14.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and a 2.48 ERA over 13 seasons (640 innings).

Two years ago, he had 30 saves, a 3.36 ERA and 15.5 strikeouts per nine with the Yankees. The Royals viewed this as a rare opportunity, even with the off-the-field and health risks that come with Chapman, who turned 35 this week. If he has a bounce-back year and starts to dominate again, they’ll have a tremendous trade chip to use at the deadline to acquire more prospects for their rebuild.

Here’s what Royals GM J.J. Picollo told me: “Aroldis worked extremely hard this offseason to regain and repeat his delivery from a few years ago, and so far (this spring) he’s been outstanding. Fastball is 98 to 99 (mph) with finish and his slider has been good. He’s using both his changeup and split effectively and is gaining a lot of confidence.” Those are good early signs for Kansas City. (Bowden-Mar 3, 2023-TheAthletic)

Feb 7, 2024: For many years, Chapman watched the Pirates from afar. He began his career with the Reds for six seasons, and his rate of 15.4 strikeouts per nine innings put the baseball world on notice if they weren’t already.

Then he moved to the Cubs the next season after a midseason trade from the Yankees and won his first of two World Series titles, with the other coming last year with the Rangers after another midseason trade, this time by the Royals.

Those years in the National League Central allowed Chapman to visit PNC Park a lot, and now, he is thrilled to call it home.

“I’ve always liked playing here in Pittsburgh,” Chapman said via an interpreter. “I think it’s a great fanbase, and the ballpark is beautiful. It’s one of the best, one of the prettiest in the league — at least I think so. I’m very excited to be here.”

Chapman’s signing was a bit out of the blue, considering the Pirates’ biggest area of need this offseason was the starting rotation. The need is so big that the Bucs signed two veteran players to one-year deals, yet they’re still in the market for another starter. But there’s more than one way to cover innings, and another method is to have a bullpen so deep that starters don’t have to labor to try to go deep with leads intact. Chapman certainly stretches out the reliever group, and with a 2.53 ERA, he has the track record to prove he can still be one of the best at what he does. Chapman also feels he’s at his best when a team is going for it. With the development of players like Ke’Bryan Hayes, Oneil Cruz, Jack Suwinski and David Bednar among others during general manager Ben Cherington’s regime, on top of the short-term MLB additions like Rowdy Tellez, Marco Gonzales, Martín Pérez and Chapman, the Pirates are hoping they can weather some key injuries to reach .500 for the first time since 2018.

And with no team that looks like it will run away with the NL Central, the Pirates aren’t out of the conversation for the division title and a berth to the postseason for the first time since 2015.

“I think the first goal you set in your mind is you want to win that division,” Chapman said. “So I think it's a group of young guys that really go out there and give it their all and try to win a lot of games. I feel excitement in being a part of that.

“I'm an athlete who likes to compete, so being here with a team who really wants to get in this division race and start winning was good for me.”

While Chapman has been a longtime closer, he also understands where he’s at in his career and how his performance might move him from that role. Over the past four seasons, he’s recorded a 3.49 ERA with some command issues, while Bednar has a 2.25 ERA in 172 games for the Pirates and posted 39 saves in 2023.

Chapman is a team player. He just wants to win.

"I'll just stress that there is a very good closer, so I am very flexible, and I just want to help the team out,” Chapman said. “So wherever they see fit to put me, I'm willing to help out." (J Crouse - MLB.com - Feb 7, 2024)

TRANSACTIONS

January 10, 2010: Chapman signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Reds. He also got a hefty signing bonus, $6 million to $7 million.  

Chapman signed with Reds' scouts Chris Buckley, Tony Arias, and Miguel Machado.

January 28, 2014: Chapman and the Reds agreed on a one-year, $5 million contract, avoiding arbitration. 

February 13, 2015: Aroldis and the Reds avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $8 million contract. 

December 28, 2015: The Yankees acquired Chapman, sending four minor leaguers to the Reds: RHP Caleb Cotham, 3B Eric Jagielo, RHP Rookie Davis, and INF Tony Renda.

February 12, 2016: Chapman and the Yankees avoided arbitration agreeing to a one-year contract worth $11.3 million.

July 25, 2016: The Cubs acquired Chapman by sending four players to the Yankees: pitcher Adam Warren and prospects Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney, and Rashad Crawford.

Nov 3, 2016: Chapman elected free agency.

December 8, 2016: Aroldis signed a five-year, $86 million contract with the Yankees. And it has a clause that says he cannot be traded to any team on the West Coast.

Nov 3, 2019: The Yankees reworked Chapman's deal, adding in an additional year for $18 million, Chapman will earn $48 million over the next three seasons, through 2022.

Nov. 6, 2022: Chapman became a free agent.

Jan. 19, 2023: The Royals have reached an agreement with free-agent closer Chapman for one year and $3.75 million.

June 30, 2023: The left-handed reliever was traded from the last-place Royals to the first-place Rangers, managed by Bruce Bochy. Bochy is perhaps the best manager in history to get the most out of his bullpen. Texas sent lefty Cole Ragans and Minor League outfielder Roni Cabrera to the Royals. (Editor's note: Chapman helped the Rangers win the 2023 World Series.)

Chapman is an extremely impressive lefthander with long arms, a lanky build and a high release point. And his release has excellent extension.

Aroldis has a 97-105 mph FASTBALL, a sharp-breaking 87-90 mph SLIDER, and a fairly good 88-92 mph CHANGEUP to keep hitters off his fastball. Late in 2020, Chapman added an 89-92 mph SPLITTER that he increased the use of in 2021.

But it is his fine heater that excites everyone. And he can get rid of all but his heater and his slider, which are the only two pitches he used in 2010 with the Reds. He didn't read scouting reports or watch video. And before he came to the United States, he had never heard of Albert Pujols.

Chapman's fastball is  a freak of nature, arguably the hottest heater ever seen. The 20-80 scouting scale fails to fully encapsulate the pitch, because at its best it's 7-8 mph harder than an 80 fastball. He sits at 99-100 mph and touches 103-105. 

2016 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 82% of the time; Change 3% of the time; and Slider 15.3%.

2017 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 76.7% of the time; Change 3.5% of the time; and Slider 19.8%.

2018 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 99.3% of the time; Sinker 5.2%; Change less than 1%; and Slider 25.5% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 99.3 mph, Sinker 101.8 mph, Change 91.3, and Curve 86.7 mph.

2019 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball 58.7% of the time, his Sinker 9.9%, Change less than 1%; and Slider 31.3% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 98.3 mph, Sinker 100.5, Changeup 88.2, and Slider 85.4 mph.

2020 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball 73.9% of the time; his Sinker 5.2%; Slider 18.3%; and Split 2.6% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 98.2 mph, Sinker 100.5, Slider 85.6, and Split 90.5 mph.

His fastball has so much life at times that it runs out of the strike zone, though more consistent mechanics would help. His fastball and slider are good enough to get both lefthanders and righthanders out.

Aroldis is a 6-foot-4, 185-pound bundle of elongated fingers, arms, and legs. The baseball comes out of his hand like a rock snapped out of a slingshot, pounding the catcher's glove with a loud "thwack."

His delivery from the stretch hides the ball from the hitter until the last possible instant.

Chapman has trouble locating his pitches and falls behind in the count too often. To make it in the majors, his command must improve markedly.

He has a lot of moving parts in his windup.

He tends to work very slowly.

Scouts love his competitiveness and fire, but they don't like that he tends to lose his composure at times. Aroldis shows a lot of emotion on the mound.

FASTEST PITCH

The previous high was 104.8 mph from the Tigers' Joel Zumaya on October 10, 2006, vs. Frank Thomas of the A's.

As of April 2014, Chapman still holds the record for the fastest recorded pitch speed in MLB history, after throwing that 105.1 mph (169.1 km/h) fastball in 2010. He was also clocked by one radar gun at 106 mph (173.3 km/h) in a later game, although this speed is disputed.

Chapman is a lot like Dwight Gooden in that he is quiet and reserved by nature, while throwing incredible heat. Aroldis has extraordinarily large hands, an angular frame and the arm speed and deception to dominate any hitter.

You never see any fear in his eyes.

Aroldis started the 2012 season in the bullpen for the Reds. In the spring, Chapman looked very good in what many thought was his audition for a starting role. He went 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA in five appearances—four of them starts. But as of April 2012, he had yet to start a regular season game.

On August 27, 2012, Chapman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to record his 24th in row, breaking the mark he shared with John Franco (1988) and Rob Dibble (1991).

Chapman has long electrified and been effective with his 100-plus-mph fastball velocity. Another tool in his bag of tricks, a slower one, has proved almost as dazzling to watch lately. Chapman has developed his changeup more, showing it more often early in the 2014 season and getting swings-and-misses with it. (May 2014)

2014 Improvements: Chapman was already a rarity with his 100-mph fastball. Since he's returned from the disabled list, Chapman has shown another rare trait as a power closer with three strong pitches in his repertoire.

Chapman was activated from the D.L. on May 10 after being hit in the face by a line drive during Spring Training. It fractured the bone above his left eye.

"It's a saying that you don't get beat with your third-best pitch. But if you're John Smoltz and you have a fastball, slider, and split, and all three are the best in the game, then what does it matter?" Price said. "With Chapman, you've got fastball, slider, changeup, and they're all plus-plus pitches. Now, you can't say that."

One key to Chapman's success is that he's avoided walking batters.

July 11, 2014:  Chapman set a Major League record, dating back to 1900, for most consecutive relief appearances with a strikeout, fanning a batter in his 40th consecutive game. His streak began on Aug. 21, 2013.

The 100 saves Chapman has converted are out of 115 save chances (87 percent), and the 115 save opportunities are the eighth fewest in Major League history needed to reach the century mark in saves converted. Eric Gagne (104 chances), John Smoltz (107), Joakim Soria (112), Kazuhiro Sasaki (113), John Axford (113), Joe Nathan (113) and Craig Kimbrel (114) reached 100 saves in fewer opportunities.

August 2014: Chapman was recognized by Baseball America as having the best fastball in the MLB.

August 16, 2014: Chapman set a Major League-record strikeout streak for relievers at 49 games. He had at least one strikeout in every game he appeared in since Aug. 21, 2013. The previous record holder, Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter, went 39 straight games with a strikeout in 1977.  

2014 Season: Chapman turned in one of the most dominant seasons by a relief pitcher in Major League history.  Chapman set new Major League records in strikeouts per nine innings (17.67), strikeouts-to-hits ratio (5.05-to-1), and highest percentage of batters struck out (52.4 percent). He also shattered the record for most consecutive relief appearances with a strikeout (39 by Bruce Sutter), establishing the new mark of 49 straight from Aug. 21, 2013-Aug. 13, 2014.

Chapman also became the first pitcher since the PitchF/x tracking system was installed in 2006 to finish the season with an average fastball velocity of more than 100 mph (100.3). The fastest pitch Chapman recorded this season was a 104.53 mph fastball to the D-backs' Paul Goldschmidt on July 28. (9/28/14) 

July 19, 2015: Chapman set a Major League record for the fastest to reach 500 career strikeouts. He needed just 292 innings to reach 500 strikeouts. The previous mark was set by San Diego's Craig Kimbrel, who got to 500 in his 305th inning.

June 24, 2016:  Ever since Aroldis broke into the Major Leagues back in 2010, there's been velocity, and there's been Aroldis Chapman velocity. Not only has baseball's resident rocket launcher struck out more than 15 batters per 9 innings over his career, but he even forced the Statcast™ leaderboard to create a filter distinguishing between "Chapman" and "everybody else."  

So it wasn't too big of a surprise when Chapman once again lit up the radar gun while striking out the side to close out the Yankees' 5-3 win over the Twins.  

But that wasn't just any heat—it was ridiculous even by Chapman's lofty standards, and it managed to blow up the Statcast record books in one fell swoop. The lefty managed to throw the five fastest pitches recorded by Statcast this season (and five of the six fastest ever!) on June 23, 2016, the top four of which came in one at-bat against poor Kurt Suzuki: 103.8, 103.8, 103.7, 103.6. He had 103.3 one batter earlier, because he clearly hadn't gotten loose yet.  (Landers - MLB.com)

Once a pitcher's velocity reaches triple digits, Yankees catcher Brian McCann was saying, there no longer seems to be much difference between 104 mph and 105 mph. Each one is a blur, so a catcher's main concern is making sure the ball meets the glove's pocket and not his left thumb.

Aroldis put that to the test repeatedly, as the Yankees' flame-throwing lefthander threw the five fastest pitches* recorded to date by Statcast, including one that registered 105.1 mph. Chapman locked down his 19th save in 20 chances as the Yankees defeated the Orioles, 2-1. [*105.1, 104.9, 104.4, 104.3, 104.0]  (Hoch - MLB.com - 7/18/16)

When Chapman lost only 1.5 mph in August 2017, one possible explanation for poor results was that his heater was indistinguishable. According to Statcast, 18 hurlers were in his strata, averaging 98 mph or better. And Pitch F/X says this is the seventh consecutive season that overall velocity has ticked upward.

Pitching guru Tom House calculates that for every extra foot he can squeeze out of a pitcher's stride, the hitter sees 3-mph of gain in fastball speed. Put it this way: A 95-mhp fastball from 50 feet looks faster than a 95 mph one from 53 feet.

Input that formula to a hurler who throws 100 mph instead of 95, and you have a hitter's nightmare, Scientists says they human eye loses track of a fastball—like Chapman's—once it reaches a certain velocity, forcing opponents to literally guess its trajectory after that.

According to ScienceLive.com, "The best hitters can (only) track the ball to within 5 or 6 feet of the plate.

If Chapman wants to win back his closer's job, he'll need a breaking pitch. Trouble is, he has no off-speed weapons to speak of. His slider spins and helicopters, but that's about it. Hitters focus only on the heat. And what they're doing, of course, is starting their swing early— cheating, actually.

"When any hard thrower, not just Chapman, gets knocked off their perch, when someone squares up on them, you wonder how they're going to handle it," Buck Showalter, the O's skipper said. "It's not something they're used to." (Bob Klapisch - USA Today - 8/24/2017)

2017 Improvements: Joe Girardi now has the weapon that Joe Maddon rode the previous October all the way to the Cubs first World Series championship since 1908, a weapon the Yankees gave the Cubs.

Chapman is back to being a beast closing games. Over his past seven games, Chapman has fired eight innings and allowed just three hits while striking out 13. He has not allowed a run over that span.

Credit pitching coach Larry Rothschild for coming up with the solution to Chapman’s problem and Chapman with making the adjustment that was desperately needed.

Baseball is a game of inches, sometimes even less than that.

Chapman’s fastball was cutting too much. The lefty could not command the pitch and was getting behind in the count, creating his own mess. Rothschild had to figure a way to get Chapman to fix his delivery without making a significant change.

So the veteran pitching coach had Chapman put some separation between his middle finger and his index finger, giving him a wider grip and also had Chapman overlap the seams—in essence making it a four-seam fastball grip. In the past, Chapman would have his two fingers together and to the side of seams. (Kevin Kernan-New York Post)

May 2019: MLB selected Chapman as the AL Reliever of the Month.

Chapman, 31, went 11-for-11 in save opportunities for the Yankees while permitting just one earned run across 11 1/3 innings. The southpaw struck out 18 hitters and walked just three while holding hitters to a .128/.186/.256 slash line. Chapman’s 11 saves led all relievers in May, and his fastball averaged 98 mph for the month, nearly one full mph faster than April, according to Statcast.

In 2019, Chapman turned in another outstanding season, recording a 2.21 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and 85 strikeouts in 57 innings. The flame-throwing lefthander also topped the 30-save mark for the seventh time in eight years, finishing with 37.

In 2019, Chapman was the top reliever in the AL, earning the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award.

Aroldis has long wielded one of the Majors' most intimidating fastballs, and refining a splitter has only increased his potency as a strikeout machine.  Chapman has recorded at least two strikeouts in each of his last 10 appearances (since Sept. 3, 2020), extending a personal record and claiming a Yankee franchise mark for relievers.  (mlb.com - 4/5/2021)

2021 Improvements: Early on this year, he's made another adjustment, this time adding a splitter. Chapman added the splitter very late in 2020 and is using it more this year. 

As Aroldis focused on honing his splitter in the 2020 winter, the Yankees closer kept a snapshot in his mind, recalling the diving pitches that former big leaguer Jose Contreras once used to baffle hitters.  That was the type of pitch Chapman desired, and he might just have achieved that goal.

Chapman's splitter has been a difference-maker early in 2021, providing him with a third offering to keep opponents guessing.  Chapman had become too predictable with his fastball-slider combination, and the splitter should provide him with a weapon to remain effective even if his fastball loses some heat.

"It’s simple: I like it. I like using it,” Chapman said. “It goes back to when I started pitching; unfortunately, when I was playing for the Reds, they didn't like me throwing that pitch because I was younger at the time and they felt that it was unnecessary.  But I've always liked using this pitch.” 

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has referred to Chapman’s splitter as “gross,” in the most positive way.  Pitching coach Matt Blake has applauded Chapman’s initiative to revive his shelved offering, noting in addition that Chapman’s velocity has improved over the past two years.  “I think he's becoming a more complete pitcher while also still retaining some of those elite qualities he's had in the past,” Blake said.  “It's been really impressive to watch so far, and hopefully we can we just continue to see more of it.”  (Hoch - mlb.com - 4/21/2021)

August 27, 2021:  Aroldis became the 31st pitcher in Major League history to reach the 300-save plateau.  (Saves became an official stat in 1969.)

He’ll be 34 before the 2022 season begins, and his average fastball velocity was down almost 3 mph from his absurd 2016 peak. Still, he’s under contract for $16 million for 2022 and that average velocity was still 98.4 mph, so he’s going to get a chance to show he’s still got the chops for another big contract somewhere.  (Wick Terrell@wickterrell - Oct 18, 2021)

2022 Season: Chapman opened the season as the Yankees' closer and finished the year off the playoff roster after an unexcused absence from playoff workouts. In between, Chapman lost closer duties due to his erratic control and had a stint on the injured list due to an infected tattoo on his leg.

He finished the season with a 4.46 ERA in 36.1 innings and may struggle to find a market in free agency.  (Seth Trachtman - Nov. 10, 2022) 

May 17, 2023: Strike three blew by Jake Cronenworth too fast for most to register, and all the Padres first baseman could do was watch it land hard in Royals catcher Freddy Fermin’s glove before walking back to the Padres dugout. The 103.8 mph fastball from Royals reliever Aroldis Chapman was the fastest pitch in Royals history and matched Jordan Hicks for the fastest pitch in MLB this year. (A Rogers - MLB.com - May 17, 2023)

2023 Season: Chapman was one of the more dominant southpaw relievers this season in 61 outings (58 1/3 innings) between the Royals and Rangers.

He finished in the 100th percentile in both strikeout percentage (41.4%) and whiff percentage (42.2%). He ranked in the 99th percentile in expected batting average (.170) and fastball velocity (99.5 mph). He also was in the 95th percentile in expected ERA (2.84) and 91st percentile in average exit velocity (86.5 mph).

But, as always, he struggled throwing strikes. He walked 14.5% of the batters he faced. 

Chapman's velocity rebounded last season after struggling in 2022. He averaged 99.0 mph on his four-seamer and 101.1 mph with his sinker while posting 15.9 strikeouts per nine innings.  (Christopher Smith - Oct. 2023)

Aroldis is slow to the plate, making him easy to steal on. 

March 22, 2010: Chapman left a spring exhibition game with a muscle spasm in his back.

May 16-June 24, 2011: Aroldis was on the D.L. with inflammation in his left (pitching) shoulder.

The Reds said Chapman was taken to Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center in Sun City, where tests indicated fractures above his left eye and nose. He was transferred to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, where he will undergo further testing. He will be kept overnight for observation.

Trainers from both clubs immediately rushed to aid Chapman, who was lying face down on the mound while the Surprise Stadium crowd fell completely silent. Chapman's father, in the stands, rushed onto the field. Players from both teams took a knee near the mound and around the field. Chapman was immobilized and placed on a stretcher and carried off by a medical cart while being respectfully applauded by the fans.

"He never lost consciousness," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He was able to communicate. He was able to move his hands, his feet, his legs. I'm not a doctor. I don't want to go much further than that. It got him pretty flush just above the left eye is what it looks like."

Price said he could see blood coming from above Chapman's eye.

"Not good," Price said of the scene around Chapman. "He left the field on a stretcher. He took a line drive just above his left eye is what it looks like a contusion, a laceration and certainly needs to be taken to the hospital and checked out."

March 20-May 10, 2014: Aroldis had a metal plate placed on the bone above his eye to stabilize the injury. Chapman also suffered a nose fracture from the incident. Team medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek said that Chapman could begin working out in 10-14 days.

Dr. Ed Joganic, a cranial facial plastic surgeon, performed the two-and-a-half-hour surgery at Phoenix's Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center. (Sheldon - mlb.com - 3/20/14)

June 27, 2014: You hear a lot about five-tool players, but some of the best have a sixth. They're fearless.

Nothing gets to them on the field, no matter the game situation or their personal circumstance. They deliver consistently high-quality results no matter what is happening in their world. They've got guts, courage or whatever word you'd use to describe extreme mental toughness.

There was never really a question about whether Chapman would return. But how would he pitch? Would Chapman be able to ignore the certainty that there would be more line drives hit back toward him on the mound?

After all, the situation was so ugly at the time that after Chapman was carted off the field at Surprise Stadium, the game never resumed. Bryan Price, the Reds' manager, said that no one on the field could find it in their hearts to keep playing. Jay Bruce called it "the most frightening thing I've ever been a part of."

It would only be natural if Chapman was a little bit gun shy when he put his uniform on again.

"None of us could anticipate what it would be like to be in that situation and come back and rejoin the competition at this level of play," Price said. "He's done it without a hiccup. There's been no reluctance on his part to compete. That in and of itself is pretty special."

There's only one thing Chapman has trouble doing—that's discussing the incident. He is declining interview requests on the subject.

Nearly one year after being hit in the head by a line drive that could have killed him, almost all signs of the trauma are gone from Reds closer Aroldis Chapman. The scar from the surgical staples that dotted the top of Chapman's head is covered by hair. Only a small bump remains above his left eyebrow that indicates anything might have happened at all.

"Even though you guys can't see it, I'm still feeling it," Chapman said of the scar though the translation of catcher Brayan Pena.

Chapman didn't believe it was that difficult to both recover from his injuries and regain his form on the mound.

"It wasn't so hard for me, because I believe in myself. I trust myself," Chapman said. "I was confident enough to come back stronger than the way I was. I have very positive thoughts. I took that with me." (Mark Sheldon - MLB.com - March 5, 2015)

May 13-June 18, 2017: Chapman was on the DL with left shoulder rotator cuff inflammation. 

Aug 22-Sept 19, 2018: Chapman was on the DL with left knee tendinitis.

July 10-Aug 17, 2020: Aroldis tested positive for the coronavirus and is experiencing mild symptoms.

Aaron Boone said that Chapman “overall is doing well” but “will not be here for the foreseeable future.”

Boone said the team had done contact tracing, and no other players or personnel would be forced to isolate because of Chapman's positive test.

“We’re following all protocols,” Boone said. "We have not had any other positive tests. We adhere to all the contact tracing things. We feel like we’ve handled it and are handling it.

“Again, you know, this is something that even moving forward, a positive test is probably going to come our way. It's about doing all the things that hopefully as a whole keep us safe and healthy,” he said. (Jake Seiner - 7/11/2020)

April 4, 2021: Chapman was activated from the IL.

Aug 6-18, 2021: Chapman was on the IL with left elbow inflammation.

Aug 7, 2021: Chapman’s elbow problems date back to the series against the Marlins. He had an MRI, but it didn’t reveal any structural damage.

“It’s going to be a few days of no throwing. He should be able to ramp up from there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I’m hopeful that on that 10th day, he is activated. It's just a little bit of inflammation.”

May 24-July 1, 2022: Chapman landed on the 15-day injured list due to left Achilles tendinitis. Chapman has been receiving treatment on his left Achilles tendon for about two weeks. An MRI performed was negative.

Aug. 27-Sept 16, 2022: Chapman is hitting the 15-day injured list due to a leg infection from a tattoo.

Feb 27, 2023: Chapman’s Royals debut was supposed to be against the Mariners, but it was delayed a few days after he slipped and fell at home.

He slipped, cracked a tooth, and split open his lip, requiring a trip to the emergency room and stitches. Chapman spent most of the night icing the swollen lip and didn’t get much sleep, manager Matt Quatraro said, so the Royals pushed his first appearance back a couple of days.

Chapman played catch and participated in pitchers fielding practice. He likely will throw a bullpen session and get into a game later this week.

“I feel good,” Chapman said through interpreter Luis Perez. “I had an accident at home, fell, bumped my lip and had a couple stitches on the outside and one on the inside. Now I’m feeling good. I told them I was good to go.”