From left, San Francisco Giants second base Thairo Estrada, left fielder Michael Conforto and center fielder Jung Hoo Lee celebrate after a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Aroldis Chapman sets new all-time MLB record in Pirates’ loss to Braves
Fans in Atlanta were treated to a bit of baseball history as visiting Pittsburgh Pirates flamethrower Aroldis Chapman broke the all-time strikeout record for left-handed relief pitchers. Chapman fanned two batters in the bottom of the ninth to earn career strikeout number 1,197, the team announced.
Chapman is with his sixth team in 15 years and reached the lefty reliever strikeout record in 727.1 innings, giving him a remarkable career K/9 just shy of 15.
He surpassed retired reliever Billy Wagner to set the record. Wagner pitched for 16 years, primarily with the Houston Astros and the New York Mets, accumulating 1,196 strikeouts in 903 innings – 175.9 more innings than Chapman.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy was the unlucky batter mowed down by Chapman for the record. He swung through a 103 mph fastball on a 1-2 count to end the ninth and send the game to extra innings, as Chapman preserved a 1-1 tie.
After tossing a scoreless 9th with one walk and two Ks, Chapman turned it over to Kyle Nicolas who gave up a walk-off RBI single to Adam Duvall in the 10th inning. The Pirates lost 2-1 to the Braves, who’ve now won three straight games.
Chapman is undoubtedly on the back nine of his playing career – he had been working behind Pirates All-Star David Bednar before the closer hit the injured list. But Chapman can still miss major league bats as he’s now up to 49 strikeouts in 29 innings this year, good for a sparkling 15.1 K/9.
The velocity is still there for the seven-time All-Star as well, with his fastball routinely registering in the triple digits.
Flamethrower Aroldis Chapman owns the lefty reliever strikeout record
Chapman holds the MLB record for the fastest pitch ever recorded, clocked at a blazing 105.8 mph in 2010 when the lefty hurler was with the Cincinnati Reds (that 105.8 mph pitch is also the Guinness World Record).
In fact, Chapman has thrown eight of the 10 fastest pitches recorded in the Statcast era, the slowest of which was 105 mph (Jordan Hicks is responsible for the other two fastest pitches – both registered 105 mph and came during his rookie season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018), per Fox Sports.
Outside of Chapman’s record setting 105.8 mph missile hurled in 2010, the other seven fastest pitches ever recorded were all delivered by the big lefty during the 2016 season. That year, Chapman was traded by the New York Yankees to the Chicago Cubs and he would be integral in helping the team win its first World Series since 1908.
He’s fourth all time in saves for a left hander – and 21st overall – with 323 so far in his 15-year career. He’s also third among active players in career saves behind right-handers Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel (each with 435 to date). Kimbrel has also rung up 1,236 batters in 786.2 innings.
