Aroldis Chapman is unsurprisingly the Boston Red Sox player atop most clubs’ wish list with just under two months until the MLB trade deadline. It would be a mistake not to capitalize on the veteran closer’s value, even if the team is technically still in contention.
Chapman has been historically good since joining the Red Sox before the 2025 season. The 38-year-old has amassed a 1.00 ERA and 0.753 WHIP with 111 strikeouts and 24 walks across 87 appearances out of Boston’s bullpen. Last year, he earned his first All-Star nod since 2021 and finished seventh in the American League Cy Young vote.
Chapman has been among the few bright spots on this year’s disappointing Red Sox club. As a result, Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY recently reported that the hard-throwing lefthander is expected to be traded to a contender.
“Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman is expected to join his eighth different team, and potentially be in the postseason with his sixth different team,” Nightengale wrote. “He is the top reliever available on every contender’s target list, converting 28 consecutive saves dating back to last season, one shy of his career record.”
With the third AL Wild Card spot still within reach, it remains unclear whether Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow & Co. will opt to sell Chapman and/or other valuable pieces. There are valid arguments for holding onto other key contributors, such as Jarren Duran or Willson Contreras, but it’s tougher to make a case for keeping Chapman on the roster beyond Aug. 3.
Here are the arguments for and against trading Chapman, plus what a potential deal could look like based on past blockbuster trades for closers:
Why the Red Sox should trade Aroldis Chapman
It’s simple: Contending clubs are willing to spend big on bullpen help before the trade deadline, and Chapman has been the most dominant closer in baseball. The Red Sox should get a good haul in any deal involving him.
The alternative? Hold on to your biggest trade chip with an uphill battle just to squeak into the postseason, never mind make a deep playoff run. And even if Chapman is on the roster in 2027, it’s far from a guarantee he’ll still be this good in his age-39 season.
At no point this year have the Red Sox looked like a legitimate contender, regardless of what the AL Wild Card standings say. Plus, they’ve recently had little use for Chapman, who has made only three appearances since May 20.
Boston should capitalize on Chapman’s sky-high trade value while it has a chance. There will likely be a significant bidding war for his services.
What’s the argument for keeping Aroldis Chapman?
Are you still under the impression that the Red Sox could turn things around this season? That would be the only reason to hold on to an elite 38-year-old closer whose status for next year is uncertain.
Boston enters Tuesday night 4.5 games out of the third American League Wild Card spot. The AL is up for grabs, with only five clubs owning records above .500.
Reinforcements should be coming soon. The hope is that Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet, and Romy Gonzalez will be activated from the injured list sometime in the next month or so, and that will help propel Boston back into a playoff spot. Wishful thinking, but still a possibility.
If you’re one of the few who are still optimistic about Boston’s chances, you undoubtedly want Chapman closing games out the rest of the way.
What’s Aroldis Chapman’s contract situation?
Chapman has a vesting option for 2027 that will reportedly earn him $13 million if he reaches 40 innings pitched and is healthy at the end of this season. He’s currently at 19.2 IP and pitching through a hamstring issue. If the option doesn’t vest, it’ll become a mutual option.
What could the Red Sox get in an Aroldis Chapman trade?
If Chapman is moved, it’ll likely be in exchange for a premium prospect package. The first name that comes to mind when pondering such a deal is the San Diego Padres’ lights-out closer, Mason Miller.
At last year’s deadline, the Athletics sent Miller to the Padres in exchange for then-18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries (No. 2 prospect in MLB) and right-handed pitching prospects Braden Nett, Henry Baez, and Eduarniel Nunez. Of course, Miller was only 26 at the time of the deal and under team control through 2029, so Craig Breslow probably won’t be able to get that kind of haul for a 38-year-old Chapman.
Perhaps a better template would be the Philadelphia Phillies’ acquisition of Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins. In another major 2025 deadline deal, the Phillies shipped catcher Eduardo Tait (No. 56 prospect at the time) and right-hander Mick Abel (No. 92) to Minnesota for Duran, who’s under contract through 2027.
Neither trade is a perfect comp for a potential Chapman deal, but both show that contending clubs are willing to trade elite prospects for closers of his caliber. Considering his dominance over the last year and a half, and his vesting option for next season making him more than just a pure rental, the Red Sox should be able to land at least one top 100 prospect in a Chapman trade this summer.
