Royals announce signing of seven-time All-Star pitcher Aroldis Chapman
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced that they have signed left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman to a one-year contract. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Chapman, 34, is a seven-time All-Star, 2016 World Series winner with the Chicago Cubs and was named the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year in 2019. He is one of 13 pitchers in Major League history to record at least 1,000 strikeouts as a relief pitcher, and his 315 career saves rank 24th all-time and 3rd among active pitchers.
Chapman’s career K/9 rate of 14.7 (1,045 K in 640.0 IP) is the best in Major League history (min. 500.0 IP). He’s held opponents to a .164 average in his career, which is also the best mark in Major League history (min. 500.0 IP).
He is one of 14 pitchers, since saves became an official statistic in 1969, to record at least eight 30-save seasons. Chapman is the only pitcher in Major League history to record at least four seasons of at least 30 saves and 100 strikeouts, something he did in four consecutive seasons from 2012-15.
Chapman defected from Cuba in 2009 and signed with the Reds in 2010. He is a 13-year Major League veteran with Cincinnati (2010-15), the Chicago Cubs (2016) and the New York Yankees (2016, 2017-22). He was an All-Star as recently as 2021, when he saved 30 games for the Yankees, recorded a 3.36 ERA (21 ER in 56.1 IP) and 97 strikeouts (15.5 K/9). He was limited to just 43 appearances with the Yankees in 2022 and missed a total of eight weeks over two separate stints on the Injured List.