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The star pitcher Aroldis Chapman recorded his 374th career save on Monday with the Boston Red Sox, now only four saves away from entering the historic top 10 saves in MLB, as reported by journalist Francys Romero.
The tenth position on that list is held by Joe Nathan with 377 saves, a record that "The Missile" could reach if he maintains the blistering pace he has shown in recent months.
Since July 2025, the pitcher from Holguín has converted 22 saves out of 22 opportunities, without failing even once, a streak of absolute perfection that solidifies him as one of the most reliable closers in current baseball.
In the 2026 season, his numbers are similarly dominant: an ERA of 0.77, 11.2 innings pitched, 14 strikeouts, and a perfect 7 for 7 in save opportunities.
Chapman's journey to the top 10 began to accelerate significantly in 2025, when he recorded 32 saves with a 1.15 ERA and an opponents' batting average of .130, marking his ninth season with 30 or more saves.
That season was recognized as one of the most dominant of his career, and he ended the year with 350 saves, making him the Cuban with the most saves in Major League history.
By 2026, the Red Sox invested in him with a contract extension worth 13.3 million dollars, with a mutual option for 2027, indicating the trust that the organization has in the 38-year-old pitcher.
Chapman's achievements in 2026 go beyond just saves. On April 26, he surpassed Rich "Goose" Gossage to become the second reliever with the most strikeouts in MLB history, with 1,341 in his career, just behind Hoyt Wilhelm (1,363).
He also surpassed Jonathan Papelbon on the all-time saves list during Opening Day of this season, and on Monday he starred in a matchup of Cubans in the Major Leagues that brought his name back into the headlines.
The historical list of saves in MLB is led by Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601), Kenley Jansen (482), Lee Smith (478), Craig Kimbrel (440), Francisco Rodríguez (437), John Franco (424), Billy Wagner (422), and Dennis Eckersley (390), with Nathan in tenth place.
Chapman has set a declared goal of reaching 400 saves, a milestone that would cement his status among the nine greatest closers of all time in baseball history.
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