Reds should look to reunite with a former reliever this offseason

In late September of 2010, a rookie reliever named Aroldis Chapman broke the baseball world by throwing a 105.8 mph fastball up and in to Pittsburgh Pirates’ star Andrew McCutchen. Over a decade has passed, and Chapman continues to amaze baseball fans with his velocity. 

The veteran reliever has gone through his fair share of ups and downs, from eight seasons of 30-plus saves and a timeless fastball to giving up season ending home runs and multiple off-field controversies. Through it all, Chapman remains an effective reliever.

In his six seasons with the Reds, Chapman recorded 146 saves, 546 strikeouts, and an impressive 2.17 ERA. While the starter experiment of 2012 never stuck, he turned into one of the most dominant closers Great American Ball Park has ever seen. 

Aroldis Chapman should return to the Reds this offseason

Since his departure from the Reds, Chapman has spent time with the Pirates, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, and Texas Rangers. He was part of two World Series-winning squads, but Chapman's last two deals have been of the one-year variety. That could be highly appealing for a Reds‘ front office that has been hesitant to dish out big-money contracts.

With 2025 being his age 37 season, it’s unlikely that Chapman will have many seasons left under his belt. So why not go back to where it all started one more time?

Chapman would bolster a younger bullpen as a veteran arm with vast closing experience. He could also provide a helpful presence for Alexis Díaz, an inexperienced closer who has struggled to find his footing this season. Chapman would provide veteran leadership as well as a seasoned contingency plan for Díaz.

If Chapman performs well and the Reds fail to live up to expectations again, they could look to flip him to a playoff contender at the deadline. Reds fans will have to wait and see how the offseason shakes out, but a reunion with Chapman could make sense.

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