Red Sox sign former Rays villain in free agency to upgrade bullpen

Former Yankees closer, Aroldis Chapman has signed with the Boston Red Sox on a one-year, $10.75 million contract. The hard-throwing hurler will be rejoining the AL East for the first time since 2022.

Chapman has been one of the most formidable bullpen arms in the game since he emerged with the Reds in 2010. Known for his incredible fastball velocity, the Cuban flamethrower has posted a 2.63 ERA in his 15-year career.

Chapman has been a member of six different organziations throughout his time in the big leagues, but he's only been a part of the AL East for seven seasons. The left-handed reliever signed with the New York Yankees out of free agency in 2016. As a member of the Yankees, he put up some impressive statistics. Chapman finished his tenure in New York with a sub-3.00 ERA and only gave up 185 hits in 294 innings pitched.

The Rays have only been able to find limited success against this powerful pitcher. However, in 2019, the Rays scratched across five runs against the lefty, which was the most of any club that particular season.

Although, the most memorable Rays-Chapman interaction happened in the shortened 2020 campaign. In early September of that year, the Rays-Yankees rivalry took a drastic turn. Tampa Bay had been victorious in their last five meetings with their AL East foe and it may have caused some extra tension between the clubs.

In the top of the ninth inning of the September 1st contest, Aroldis Chapman took a chance to inflict fear into Rays third baseman, Mike Brosseau. The former Yankee threw a 101 mph pitch that nearly grazed Brosseau's head. It was an alarming moment, to say the least, and it certainly created some fuel for hatred among the players.

Nonetheless, the Rays lefty killer got the last laugh when he crushed a go-ahead home run off of Chapman in the ALDS.

Therefore, this Boston signing may bring more than just a boost to the Red Sox relief pitching. Regardless of the new uniform and shuffled rosters, there could still be some animosity between Chapman and the Rays organization.