ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) 鈥� Aroldis Chapman became the major leagues’ career leader in strikeouts as a reliever Friday night, toppling a record that had stood for more than half a century.
The 38-year-old left-hander didn’t do it with one of the triple-digit fastballs that have made him one of the most imposing pitchers of his generation and one of the most accomplished relievers in baseball history.
Instead, his high pitch to the Angels’ Denzer Guzman was clocked at a mere 98.6 mph 鈥� and Guzman still couldn’t get around in time.
鈥淚 feel very happy, very proud of what I鈥檝e been able to accomplish,鈥� Chapman said through an interpreter. 鈥淚 just feel very satisfied right now.鈥�
The strikeout was the 1,364th in Chapman’s 17-year career. It broke the record long held by Hoyt Wilhelm, the Hall of Famer whose 21-year career ended back in 1972, just five days shy of his 50th birthday.
Chapman paused and soaked in the moment only briefly after fanning Guzman, aware of the significance of the strikeout while also knowing he still had to get two more outs. He promptly gave up two hits, but escaped the jam with a double-play grounder to secure and his 383rd career save.
The Red Sox celebrated Chapman鈥檚 achievement in their Angel Stadium clubhouse, showing a video retrospective of Chapman鈥檚 career to his younger teammates 鈥� everything from his debut with Cincinnati in 2010 to his two World Series championships with the Cubs and Rangers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool. We鈥檝e been waiting for that one,鈥� Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said. 鈥淲hat a career he鈥檚 had. The cool thing is watching the video, and you鈥檙e seeing him at a young age throwing 102, and he鈥檚 still doing it. It鈥檚 just incredible.鈥�
In his 889th major league appearance 鈥� all of them in relief 鈥� Chapman saved a deserved victory for Red Sox rookie Jake Bennett, who was making his seventh appearance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible,鈥� said Bennett, who tired in the eighth. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible to even just be a part of a team that it happens on.鈥�
Chapman hadn鈥檛 pitched since he tied the strikeout record last Sunday , with whom he spent parts of seven seasons before an acrimonious split four years ago. He has pitched for seven teams since he defected from Cuba in 2009, earning eight All-Star selections and moving up to 10th on the majors’ career saves list.
This record spanned across a half-century of baseball history and a fundamental change in the way pitchers are used.
Among the 14 pitchers in major league history who have recorded 1,000 strikeouts as a reliever, only Lindy McDaniel was a contemporary of Wilhelm, a World War II veteran and a pioneer in relief pitching. The crafty knuckleballer was among the first pitchers to be used regularly as what’s now known as a high-leverage reliever, coming into close games and tight situations regardless of whether the starter was tired or not.
Chapman has spent his entire career in those tight spots, and he has usually excelled when healthy, often with a fastball that has topped 105 mph at times during his career.
He has even been in a renaissance since joining the Red Sox before last season. After earning AL Reliever of the Year honors in 2025 with a minuscule 1.17 ERA, he has 17 saves in 19 chances this season, still taking high-leverage assignments and usually succeeding.
鈥淚 was just focused on doing the job, day in and day out over the course of the last few weeks, getting to this point where I had the opportunity to break the record,鈥� Chapman said. 鈥淚 had some highs and some lows, but I’ve just tried to stay positive throughout.鈥�
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