History of Aroldis Chapman in Timeline
Aroldis Chapman, nicknamed "the Cuban Missile," is a Cuban-born American professional baseball relief pitcher currently playing for the Boston Red Sox. Known for his exceptionally high fastball velocity, he has played for several MLB teams, including the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, and Chicago Cubs. Chapman is a member of the 300 save club and holds the distinction of being the all-time leader in strikeouts for left-handed relievers.
February 28, 1988: Aroldis Chapman Born
On February 28, 1988, Albertín Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz, nicknamed "the Cuban Missile", was born. He is a Cuban-born American professional baseball relief pitcher.
2003: Switch to Pitcher
In 2003, Chapman began his career as a pitcher after being a first baseman.
2005: Joins Holguín Sabuesos
In 2005, Chapman joined the Holguín Sabuesos of the Cuban National Series League.
2007: Relief Appearances
During the 2007 season, Chapman made 11 relief appearances, compiling 7 saves.
2007: Pan American Games
In 2007, Chapman was part of the Cuban national team at the Pan American Games.
2008: Failed Defection Attempt and Reprieve
After a failed defection attempt in the spring of 2008, Chapman met with Cuban president Raúl Castro and received a conditional reprieve, which included a suspension from the National Series season and exclusion from the 2008 Summer Olympics.
2008: Season Stats
For the 2008-09 season, he compiled a 11-4 record with a 4.03 ERA, 130 strikeouts, and 118 1⁄3 innings pitched.
July 1, 2009: Defection from Cuba
On July 1, 2009, Chapman successfully defected from Cuba while in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the Cuban national team was participating in the World Port Tournament.
2009: World Baseball Classic
In 2009, Chapman was part of the Cuban national team at the World Baseball Classic.
2009: Allowed to Play in WBC
In 2009, despite his suspension, Chapman was allowed to play in the World Baseball Classic (WBC).
January 10, 2010: Signs with Cincinnati Reds
On January 10, 2010, Chapman signed a six-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds for $30.25 million.
August 31, 2010: MLB Debut
On August 31, 2010, Chapman made his Major League debut against the Milwaukee Brewers, with his first pitch clocked at 98 mph.
September 24, 2010: Fastest Pitch Record
On September 24, 2010, Chapman threw the fastest pitch recognized by MLB at 105.1 mph against Tony Gwynn Jr.
2010: Contract with Reds
In 2010, Chapman signed a contract with the Cincinnati Reds, marking a significant step in his MLB career.
2010: Minor League Debut
In 2010, Chapman was assigned to the Triple-A Louisville Bats and made his professional debut.
2010: First Postseason Loss
In 2010, during Game 2 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, Chapman experienced his first career postseason loss.
April 18, 2011: Conflicting Reports on Pitch Speed
On April 18, 2011, Chapman threw a pitch to Andrew McCutchen that was clocked differently by the scoreboard, Fox Sports Ohio, and the PITCHf/x system, leading to widespread discussion.
September 24, 2011: Fastest pitch thrown
On September 24, 2011, a pitch Chapman threw to Tony Gwynn Jr. was revised up to 105.8 mph and is now considered the fastest pitch thrown.
2011: Relief Pitcher Role
In 2011, Chapman served solely as a relief pitcher, appearing in 54 regular season games.
May 2012: Sued for Alleged Actions in Cuba
In May 2012, Chapman was sued for allegedly serving as an informant for Cuban state authorities after a failed defection attempt.
July 1, 2012: First All-Star Game
On July 1, 2012, Chapman was named to his first All-Star Game, marking a significant achievement in his career.
July 2012: MLB Delivery Man of the Month Award
In July 2012, Chapman was awarded the MLB Delivery Man of the Month Award, recognizing his performance as the best relief pitcher.
2012: Closer Role
In 2012, Chapman was initially slated to be a starter, but injuries led him to take on the closer role.
2012: Salary Arbitration Eligibility Bonus
In 2012, there was an additional bonus due to Chapman becoming eligible for salary arbitration, as stipulated in his contract.
March 2013: Named Closer
In March 2013, it was announced that Chapman would be the closer for the Cincinnati Reds.
August 21, 2013: Strikeout Streak Start
On August 21, 2013, Chapman began a 49-game strikeout streak.
2013: Salary Arbitration Eligibility Bonus
In 2013, there was an additional bonus due to Chapman becoming eligible for salary arbitration, as stipulated in his contract.
March 19, 2014: Head Injury
On March 19, 2014, during a spring training game, Chapman was struck in the head by a line drive from Salvador Pérez and underwent surgery for a skull fracture.
July 11, 2014: Strikeout Record
On July 11, 2014, Chapman broke Bruce Sutter's record for consecutive relief appearances with a strikeout.
July 29, 2014: 100th Career Save
On July 29, 2014, Chapman recorded his 100th save against the Arizona Diamondbacks, becoming the eighth-fastest pitcher to reach the milestone.
August 13, 2014: Strikeout Streak End
On August 13, 2014, Chapman's 49-game strikeout streak ended.
September 23, 2014: Fastest to 100 Strikeouts
On September 23, 2014, Chapman recorded his 100th strikeout in his 51st inning pitched of the season, making him the fastest pitcher ever to reach that milestone.
February 13, 2015: Contract Agreement
On February 13, 2015, Chapman and the Reds agreed to a one-year, $8.05 million contract.
August 2015: MLB's new personal conduct policy enacted
In August 2015, MLB enacted a new personal conduct policy, where MLB could suspend a player without a conviction.
October 30, 2015: Domestic Violence Incident
On October 30, 2015, Chapman was allegedly involved in a domestic violence incident with his girlfriend in Davie, Florida, leading to an MLB investigation.
December 7, 2015: News Broke of Domestic Violence Incident
On December 7, 2015, news broke about Chapman's alleged involvement in a domestic violence incident, putting a pending trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on hold.
December 28, 2015: Traded to the Yankees
On December 28, 2015, Chapman was traded to the New York Yankees.
2015: Trade to Yankees
After the 2015 season, the Reds traded Chapman to the New York Yankees, changing teams.
January 11, 2016: Named Yankees' Closer
On January 11, 2016, Joe Girardi named Chapman the New York Yankees' new closer.
February 12, 2016: Avoids Arbitration
On February 12, 2016, Chapman avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $11.325 million with the Yankees.
April 2016: Became a United States Citizen
In April 2016, Chapman became a United States citizen.
May 9, 2016: Yankees Debut
On May 9, 2016, Chapman made his first appearance for the Yankees after a suspension, striking out two and allowing a run in a 6-3 win against the Kansas City Royals.
July 19, 2016: Matched Previous Record Pitch Speed
On July 19, 2016, Chapman matched his previous record of 105.1 mph with a ball to Baltimore's J.J. Hardy.
July 25, 2016: Traded to the Chicago Cubs
On July 25, 2016, the New York Yankees traded Chapman to the Chicago Cubs.
December 15, 2016: Signed with the Yankees
On December 15, 2016, Aroldis Chapman signed a five-year, $86 million contract to return to the New York Yankees.
2016: Trade to Cubs and World Series Win
During the 2016 season, the Yankees traded Chapman to the Chicago Cubs, where he won Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
2016: National League Championship Series
In 2016, Chapman made four appearances during the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Los Angeles Dodgers, securing the Cubs' first pennant since 1945.
2016: National League Division Series Saves
In 2016, Chapman made three saves in four opportunities in the National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants.
2016: World Series Victory
In 2016, Chapman's workload escalated in the World Series, and he ultimately became the winning pitcher in Game 7, securing his first World Series title with the Cubs.
May 14, 2017: Placed on disabled list
On May 14, 2017, Chapman was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to rotator cuff inflammation in his left shoulder.
July 13, 2018: Skipped All-Star Game
On July 13, 2018, Chapman announced that he would skip the MLB All-Star Game to rest his knee due to tendinitis.
2019: AL Reliever of the Year
In 2019, Chapman was named the AL Reliever of the Year, an honor recognizing his performance.
July 11, 2020: Tested positive for COVID-19
On July 11, 2020, it was reported that Chapman had tested positive for COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
August 26, 2021: Recorded 300th Career Save
On August 26, 2021, Aroldis Chapman recorded his 300th career save in a 7-6 victory against the Oakland Athletics.
January 27, 2023: Signed with the Kansas City Royals
On January 27, 2023, Chapman signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals.
June 30, 2023: Traded to Texas Rangers
On June 30, 2023, the Royals traded Chapman to the Texas Rangers for Cole Ragans and Roni Cabrera.
2023: World Series win with the Rangers
In 2023, Chapman won his second championship, the World Series, with the Texas Rangers after being traded to the team.
January 31, 2024: Signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates
On January 31, 2024, Chapman signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
June 29, 2024: Passed Billy Wagner for Most Strikeouts by a Left-Handed Reliever
On June 29, 2024, Chapman recorded his 1,197th career strikeout, surpassing Billy Wagner for the most strikeouts by a left-handed reliever.
December 10, 2024: Signed with the Boston Red Sox
On December 10, 2024, Chapman signed a one-year, $10.75 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.
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