At this point, it's not hyperbolic to suggest Aroldis Chapman is having one of the most dominant closer seasons of the 21st century.
The 37-year-old hasn't allowed a hit in his last 14 appearances and has only allowed one earned run since May 28th.
It's been an unforeseen renaissance for the future borderline Hall of Famer, who is on his fifth team since 2022 and has looked to be increasingly losing his effectiveness at the backend of the bullpen.
So what changed for Chapman since joining the Boston Red Sox? The reason is so bizarre it's almost impossible to fathom.
While appearing on a podcast, ESPN baseball analyst Buster Olney described how an offseason altercation helped Chapman revive his illustrious career.
"Apparently, in spring training this year, Connor Wong was catching Chapman in a game, was using pitchcom, and called for an inside fastball," Olney said. "That's when the lightbulb went off over Chapman's head. He told Wong and Jason Varitek that he never thought about spotting his fastball; he would just throw it to home plate. All of a sudden, his entire perspective has changed."
It's not like Chapman wasn't a force before 2025—his sizzling heater paired with a wipeout slider was always going to be a force, even if he had no idea where the ball would end up.
His walk rate, which spiked in recent years, has been cut in half simply by aiming where he's throwing.
Chapman might not be able to catch Tarik Skubal or teammate Garrett Crochet in the Cy Young race, but he should be in the conversation for the award as he helps spearhead Boston's push for the AL East crown.