Pirates Rumors: Aroldis Chapman garnering a ton of interest in free agency

The Pittsburgh Pirates made a high-risk, high-reward signing last offseason when they inked left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman to a one-year, $10.5 million deal. It turned out to be worth the risk, both for the team and for the player, who pitched well enough to price himself out of the Pirates' range as he hits free agency again this offseason.

Even at his advanced age, Chapman will have plenty of suitors on the open market, with several clubs looking to add high leverage bullpen arms. According to MLB insider Francys Romero, at least six teams are expected to have "real interest" in Chapman this offseason.

Chapman, who will turn 37 in February, boasts a fastball averaged that averaged 98.7 MPH in September, which was the fourth-best among all relievers. He finished the 2024 season as the Pirates' de facto closer after David Bednar was demoted from the role amid some late-season struggles.

Chapman appeared in 68 games for the Pirates, going 5-5 with a 3.79 ERA and registering 14 saves in total (including nine as the closer).

A 15-year MLB veteran, Chapman spent time with the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers before joining the Pirates. He also has a pair of World Series championships under his belt, winning the title with the Cubs in 2016 and the Rangers in 2023.

Command will always remain an issue with Chapman, but his fastball routinely hits triple digits and hasn't shown any signs of slowing down with age. He also continues to strike batters out at a staggeringly high rate of 37.1%. Whether he lands another closing role remains to be seen, but his ability to generate whiffs at an elite rate makes him a viable late-inning option for a contending team.

With loss of Aroldis Chapman, Pirates must replenish bullpen with left-handed relievers

Chapman was easily Pittsburgh's best lefty reliever last season, leaving a void that will be challenging for Ben Cherington and the Pirates' front office to fill. They currently have just one southpaw in their bullpen on the 40-man roster for 2025: Joey Wentz, a former first-round pick and waiver wire pickup from the Detroit Tigers last season.

While it's unlikely that the Pirates will be able to find another bullpen arm that can consistently touch 101 MPH on the radar gun, shoring up their relief corps remains a priority for the club this offseason. In the meantime, they'll just have to hope that Chapman doesn't land with a division rival.

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