Aroldis Chapman has spent more than a decade overpowering hitters with one of the most dangerous fastballs in baseball. Now, the veteran closer has officially reached a milestone only a handful of pitchers in MLB history can claim. Chapman recorded the 400th save of his career as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3 to 1, putting his name alongside some of the greatest closers the game has ever seen.
Chapman entered the ninth inning with Boston holding onto a two-run lead and history waiting for him on the mound. The 38-year-old left-hander didn't waste the opportunity, recording two strikeouts in the inning before finishing the game and securing the milestone. His 400th save also happened to be his third save of the series, as Boston completed a four-game sweep of Baltimore and continued building momentum late in the season.
Getting to 400 has been a long journey for Chapman. He recorded his first career save with the Cincinnati Reds back in 2011 and quickly became known throughout baseball for his incredible velocity. For years, seeing Chapman enter a game in the ninth inning usually meant hitters were about to deal with triple-digit fastballs. That combination of power and late-game dominance helped turn him into one of the most recognizable relief pitchers of his generation.
But reaching this point wasn't always guaranteed. Chapman lost his regular closer role later in his career and recorded only nine saves with the Yankees in 2022. He then spent time with Kansas City, Texas, and Pittsburgh as his role continued to change. Over a three year stretch, Chapman recorded just 29 saves, making 400 seem much further away than it once had. Then Boston gave him another opportunity to close games, and Chapman took full advantage of it.
Since joining the Red Sox, Chapman has found another gear late in his career. His milestone save was his 33rd of the 2026 season, and it gave him 10 different seasons with at least 30 saves. Even at 38 years old, the velocity that made him famous is still there, and he showed it again while finishing off Baltimore. For a pitcher who once wondered whether he’d ever get another real opportunity as a closer, reaching 400 makes the moment even more meaningful.
The Red Sox also have an interesting connection to the exclusive club Chapman just joined. Five pitchers who have reached at least 400 career saves have worn a Boston uniform at some point, with Chapman joining Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrel, Billy Wagner and Lee Smith. But this time, Chapman actually reached the milestone while closing games for Boston.
For the Red Sox, the afternoon ended with another victory and a four-game sweep. For Chapman, it became a day he’ll remember for the rest of his career. After years of throwing some of the fastest pitches baseball has ever seen, changing teams and fighting his way back into the closer role, Aroldis Chapman has officially reached 400 career saves.
Four hundred saves. Sixteen seasons in the majors. And at 38 years old, Aroldis Chapman is still making hitters swing and miss when the game is on the line.