Aroldis Chapman

Early life

Chapman was born in Holguín, Cuba, on February 28, 1988. He lived in a three-room house with his parents and two sisters. Chapman's father was a boxing trainer and then later worked for the city. His mother did not work outside the home. Chapman's paternal grandparents had emigrated from Jamaica to Cuba in order to get a better education, The Chapmans, whose last name can be traced to English settlers in Jamaica in the late 1600s, were not a prominent family.

A friend of Chapman invited him to join a local baseball team at the age of 15. He began playing as a first baseman until the coach noticed that Chapman could throw well enough to become a pitcher, which Chapman began in 2003.

Cuban career

Chapman joined the Holguín Sabuesos of the Cuban National Series League in 2006. In 327 ²⁄₃ career innings, Chapman compiled a 24–19 win–loss record, a 3.74 earned run average (ERA), and 365 strikeouts. He was used mainly as a starting pitcher, although he made 11 relief appearances in the 2007 season.

Chapman was part of the Cuban national team at the 2007 Pan American Games and the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Defection

After a failed attempt to defect in the spring of 2008, Chapman reported to Havana to meet with Cuban President Raúl Castro who gave him a conditional reprieve, suspending him for the remainder of the National Series season and also keeping him off Cuba's national team for the 2008 Summer Olympics but allowing him to return to the National Series and play in the WBC in 2009.

Chapman successfully defected from Cuba while in Rotterdam, Netherlands where the Cuban national team was participating in the World Port Tournament on July 1, 2009; Chapman walked out the front door of the team hotel and entered into an automobile driven by an acquaintance. Gerardo Concepción defected from the Cuban national team in the same tournament. Chapman eventually established residency in Andorra and petitioned the MLB to be granted free agent status.

Cincinnati Reds

On January 10, 2010, Chapman agreed to a long-term contract with the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds announced that they had signed Chapman to a six-year contract, worth $30.25 million according to MLB sources. The Associated Press reported that the bonus totals $16.25 million, paid annually over 11 years, with an additional bonus if he became eligible for salary arbitration in 2012 or 2013.

2010 season

Chapman began the 2010 season assigned to the Triple-A Louisville Bats, and made his professional debut with the Louisville Bats on Sunday, April 11, in Toledo against the Mud Hens, where he pitched  4 ²⁄₃ innings, giving up 1 unearned run, while striking out 9. Chapman made 13 starts with Louisville, pitching to a 4.11 ERA, and pitched to a 2.40 ERA after the team used him as a relief pitcher.

Chapman made his Major League debut August 31, 2010, in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers; his first pitch was clocked at 98 mph (158 km/h) as a called strike (which was promptly tossed to the dugout by catcher Ryan Hanigan, to be saved). In nine pitches he retired the side. He recorded his first Major League win on September 1 after pitching an inning of relief against the Brewers. Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest pitch recognized by MLB on September 24, 2010 at Petco Park in San Diego, California . It was clocked at 105.1 mph to Tony Gwynn Jr. in the eighth inning.

In Game 2 of the 2010 NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, Chapman allowed 3 runs (all unearned) due to miscues of the outfielders. Chapman would get his first career postseason loss and the Reds would lose the division series to the Phillies in a three-game sweep.

2011 season

Chapman served solely as a relief pitcher in 2011, appearing in 54 regular season games and finishing the season with a 3.60 ERA. He also struck out 71 batters in just 50.0 innings of work that season.

2012 season

Chapman was due to be introduced as a starter for the 2012 season, but preseason injuries to closer Ryan Madson and middle relievers Bill Bray and Nick Masset led manager Dusty Baker to put Chapman in the setup role. Interim closer Sean Marshall struggled early in the season, and Chapman was given the closer role in late May.

On July 1, 2012, Chapman was named to his first All-Star Game. Chapman won the MLB Delivery Man of the Month Award for July 2012, in which he recorded 13 saves while not allowing a run in  14 ¹⁄₃ innings while striking out 31 batters—more than 60% of the batters he faced. It was the third month of the season in which he did not allow a single run. He was named the August Delivery Man of the Month as well. Chapman finished the 2012 season with a 1.51 ERA and 38 saves in 43 chances, recording 122 strikeouts and 23 walks in  71 ²⁄₃ innings.

2013 season

In March 2013, it was announced that Chapman would be the closer for the Cincinnati Reds. He was an All-Star selection for the second season in a row. He finished the 2013 year with 38 saves- a 4–5 record, 112 strikeouts, and a 2.54 ERA.

2014 season

During a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals on March 19, 2014, Chapman was struck in the head by a line drive from Salvador Pérez. The spring-training game between the Reds and the Royals was ended at that point with Kansas City leading 8-3. Chapman underwent surgery to fix a skull fracture above his left eye. A metal plate was inserted into his head to stabilize the fracture.

Chapman began the 2014 season on the 15-day disabled list. On April 18, Chapman was cleared to begin throwing batting practice sessions. Reds manager Bryan Price said that he wasn't sure when Chapman would throw but said it likely would be during the team's 10-game trip that ended April 27. He was activated from the disabled list on May 10. Chapman recorded his 100th save against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 29, 2014, becoming the eighth fastest pitcher to reach the milestone. In the 20-pitch appearance, Chapman threw 15 fastballs, all of which were above 100 mph. In 54 appearances, Chapman produced 106 strikeouts with 36 saves going 0–3 with an ERA of exactly 2.00.

2015 season

Chapman and the Reds agreed to a one-year, $8.05 million contract on February 13, 2015. Chapman was selected to the 2015 MLB All-Star Game. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning and struck out the side on 14 pitches, 12 of which were recorded at 100 mph or greater. In the 2015 year, Chapman made 65 relief appearances with a 4–4 record, a 1.63 ERA, and 33 saves.

New York Yankees

On December 28, 2015, Chapman was traded to the New York Yankees. Cincinnati received four minor league players including right-handed pitchers Caleb Cotham and Rookie Davis, and infielders Eric Jagielo and Tony Renda in the exchange. On January 11, 2016, manager Joe Girardi named Chapman the team's new closer. He avoided arbitration on February 12, 2016, by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $11.325 million. Chapman was suspended for the first 30 games of the season due to an off-season personal conduct policy violation related to domestic violence. He made his first appearance for the Yankees on May 9, 2016 striking out 2 and allowing a run as the Yankees won 6–3 over the Kansas City Royals. On July 18 against the Orioles, Chapman threw for 105 mph twice in the top of the ninth inning, averaging 103.2 mph with his fastball.

Chicago Cubs

On July 25, 2016, the Yankees traded Chapman to the Chicago Cubs for Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney, Adam Warren, and Rashad Crawford. In an interview with ESPN, Chapman stated he was thrilled that the Cubs went after him, especially considering the recent success of Héctor Rondón. Chapman made his first appearance as a member of the Cubs on July 27, pitching a 1–2–3 ninth and striking out two batters in a non-save situation.

Chapman made three saves in four save opportunities in the 2016 National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants to tie and set new Division Series records respectively.

Chapman made four appearances during the 2016 National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chapman blew a save opportunity during the first game of the NLCS. However, the Cubs rallied back and Chapman remained in the game to earn the winning decision. He pitched during the final two innings in Game 6 to secure the Cubs first pennant since 1945.

Chapman's workload in the 2016 World Series escalated with the Cubs facing elimination at the hands of the Cleveland Indians. Down 3–1 in the series, Chapman pitched through the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings of Game 5, allowing only one hit and preserving the Cubs' 3–2 lead. He was called upon again in the ninth inning of Game 6, where he allowed one hit and one run en route to a 9–3 victory. Chapman appeared the subsequent day to close out Game 7 with a 6–3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. However, he blew the save opportunity and allowed Cleveland to tie the game, though Chapman prevented Cleveland from scoring additional runs in the ninth inning. The Cubs tallied the game-winning run in the 10th inning, making Chapman the game's winning pitcher and giving him his first World Series title of his career.

New York Yankees (second stint)

On December 15, 2016, Chapman signed a five-year, $86 million dollar contract to return to the Yankees. This is the largest contract given to a relief pitcher as of 2017.

On May 14, 2017, Chapman was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to rotator cuff inflammation in his left shoulder. Although MRIs revealed no structure damage, Chapman was ruled out for at least two weeks. On June 18, the Yankees activated Chapman from the DL and he pitched that afternoon against the Oakland A's.

Repertoire

With a three-quarters delivery, Chapman currently throws three pitches: a four-seam fastball averaging 99–100 miles per hour (159–161 km/h), a slider averaging 87–88 miles per hour (140–142 km/h), and an occasional change-up. Chapman's fastball averaged 100.3 miles per hour (161.4 km/h) in 2010, but that declined to 98.6 miles per hour (158.7 km/h) in 2011 and 97.8 miles per hour (157.4 km/h) through August 2012. This more modest speed may be part of an attempt to better control his fastball. By 2015, Chapman's fastball averaged 99.98 miles per hour (160.90 km/h). That same year, Statcast revealed that Chapman threw the 62 fastest pitches of the season, topping out at 103.92 miles per hour (167.24 km/h).

Both pitches have extraordinarily high whiff rates of 33% for the fastball and 58% for the slider. These have given Chapman a career strikeouts per nine innings rate of 14.66 as of August 2012, second all-time to Craig Kimbrel, and the third-highest career percentage of pitches for swinging strikes (16.5%).

Scouts worried about his control issues and lack of a solid third pitch, noting that these issues could affect his ability to be a Major League starter. However, Chapman's control seems to have improved. After issuing 41 walks in 50 innings the previous season, Chapman only walked 23 batters in 2012 over  71 ²⁄₃ innings.

Speed records

According to MLB scouts, Chapman's fastball has been clocked as high as 105 mph (169 km/h) (during the 2010 minor league season).

On September 24, 2010, against the San Diego Padres, Chapman was clocked at 105.1 mph (169.1 km/h), according to PITCHf/x, which is the fastest pitch ever recorded in Major League Baseball. On July 19, 2016, Chapman matched his previous record of 105.1 mph when he threw a ball to Baltimore's J. J. Hardy.

On April 18, 2011, Chapman threw a pitch to Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen that the scoreboard at Great American Ball Park clocked at a speed of 106 mph (170.6 km/h), although the box on Fox Sports Ohio's broadcast listed it at 105 mph (169 km/h) and the PITCHf/x system calculated a release speed of 102.4 mph (164.8 km/h). The disparity between these speeds has been widely discussed and questioned.

Mechanics

Sports Illustrated writer Joe Posnanski described Chapman thus: "There is no violence at all in his motion; he's like the anti-Bob Gibson in that way. Just a slow beginning, a fluid motion, and BLAMMO the ball just fires out like the Batmobile rolling out of the cave." A more technical analysis reveals that

1. Chapman breaks his hands late, so his arm gets involved late.
2. He shifts his weight before he breaks his hands.
3. Chapman gets low and creates tremendous leg drive.
4. At landing, he quickly braces his front leg and hip.
5. He also powerfully flexes his trunk forward over his landing knee.

One scout noted that although "[t]here are no obvious flaws in Chapman's delivery ... Chapman has to coordinate a lot of moving parts," which may limit his consistency. Chapman's extreme pitch speed may also pose an injury risk to his pitching arm over time.

Personal life

When Chapman defected, he left his father, mother, two sisters, girlfriend, Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas, and newborn baby, Ashanty Brianna. He would later be reunited with them when he helped them defect; the details of how they defected remain confidential. On June 30, 2014, his son, Atticus Gabriel Chapman, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. In May 2012, it was reported that Chapman was being sued after he allegedly served as "an informant for Cuban state authorities after a failed defection attempt and helped turn in another man in order to get back on the country's national baseball team."

On December 7, 2015, news broke that he was involved in an alleged domestic violence incident with his girlfriend in Davie, Florida at Chapman's home on October 30, 2015. A pending trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers was put on hold as MLB announced it would be investigating the incident as part of its domestic violence policy. In the incident, he was accused of choking his girlfriend and firing eight gunshots. No charges were filed by the police due to inconsistency in his girlfriend's reports and lack of physical evidence, and his attorney issued a statement denying the allegations. The trade was rescinded and the Reds traded Chapman to the Yankees three weeks later. Although he was not charged, the MLB banned him for 30 games as a result of "Chapman's use of the firearm and its effect on his partner," ending May 9, 2016. He was the first player disciplined by new rules enacted in August 2015, which allows the MLB to ban a player from games without a final sentence.

Chapman became an American citizen in April 2016.