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Ex-Yankees Closer Aroldis Chapman Throws Fastest Pitch of 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated May 7, 2025 11:31 PM ET

At 37 years old, Aroldis Chapman continues to defy age and expectations. The closer looked done physically and mechanically when he left the New York Yankees after the 2022 season, but now with the American League East rival Red Sox, Chapman is back to throwing pure heat.

Chapman’s fastball topped out at 103.8 on Wednesday night, closing out a Boston win over the Texas Rangers. That is the hardest thrown pitch of the season so far, surpassing Mason Miller's 103.7 last month.

It wasn’t a fluke. Chapman threw five pitches Wednesday night over 101 miles per hour.

The Yankees could face him as early as next month.

Chapman's career has been marked by his blazing fastball, which set a record with a 105.1 MPH pitch during his rookie season with the Cincinnati Reds in 2010. His tenure with the New York Yankees from 2017 to 2022 included 153 saves and a 2.94 ERA over 294⅓ innings.

However, his final season in pinstripes was tumultuous.

Aroldis Chapman just threw a pitch clocked at 103.8 MPH.

(Via: @MLB)pic.twitter.com/LwIieFubUm
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 8, 2025

It featured a 4.46 ERA and injury issues, including an infection on his leg from a tattoo. He failed to show up for a pre-playoff workout at Yankee Stadium and was left off the postseason roster that year.

After stints with the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers—where he secured his second World Series title—and Pittsburgh Pirates, Chapman signed a one-year, $10.75 million deal with the Red Sox . His recent 103.8 MPH pitch not only underscores his sustained prowess but also sets the stage for high-stakes matchups against his former team, the Yankees

Chapman’s time in the Bronx had clearly come to an end. He was frustrated with the team, which demoted him out of the closer spot, and the team was clearly frustrated with him.

But Chapman still had baseball left in him. Now, he’s proving it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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