Aroldis Chapman Pulls Off Wild Save vs Yankees—Is He Boston’s Postseason Closer?

Chapman’s Wild Ride Slams the Door in Game 1

Man, if you were watching that Wild Card opener, your blood pressure probably spiked right along with everyone else’s in Fenway. Boston’s shiny new closer, Aroldis Chapman—yeah, the same guy who used to terrorize hitters in pinstripes—somehow wriggled out of a bases-loaded mess to lock up a 3–1 win over the Yankees. Dude looked like he was about to cough up the lead, giving up three straight singles in the ninth.

 But then—flipped the switch. Struck out Stanton (who probably wanted to launch his bat into the stands), got Jazz Chisholm Jr. to fly out, and then just straight up froze Grisham with a 101 mph rocket. Game over. Fenway goes nuts.

Honestly, that save did more than just win Game 1 for Boston—it threw gasoline on the Red Sox-Yankees fire. Chapman, in Sox gear, sending his old team packing? Can’t make this stuff up. Is he Boston’s answer in the ninth now? And how much more awkward is this rivalry about to get?

From Bronx Villain to Fenway Hero

So here’s the deal: Chapman signs with Boston for $10.75 million—short-term, but not chump change. Guy’s got hardware: eight All-Star games, all kinds of playoff scars, and a fastball that still makes radar guns sweat. Boston liked him so much they tossed on an extension in August 2025. Not bad for a guy pushing mid-30s.

Regular season? Dude was straight-up nasty: 1.17 ERA, a WHIP that’s basically a rounding error (0.70), 85 strikeouts in 55 innings. He even had a 17-appearance stretch where nobody could even get a hit. That’s nearly superhuman. I mean, maybe he’s drinking Tom Brady’s water or something.

October Lights = Pressure Cooker

Let’s be real: Chapman loaded the bases, zero outs, in Fenway, in the playoffs—most guys would’ve melted. Instead, he did that thing closers are supposed to do: turned into a monster when it mattered. You want a guy who doesn’t blink when the whole city’s holding its breath? That’s Chapman right now.

Boston’s got big dreams, and if they’re gonna make a run, Chapman has to be nails. He’s the anchor, plain and simple. If the wheels fall off in the ninth, this whole thing could unravel.

But hey, it’s not all sunshine and strikeouts:

- The whole “former Yankee closes out Yankees in October” thing? That’s drama you can’t script.

- Chapman’s been worked hard—how’s that arm holding up? Back-to-back nights in October are brutal.

- And, let’s face it, the rest of Boston’s bullpen better step up too. Chapman’s not a robot (probably).

What’s Next? Game 2 and Beyond

So, does Chapman get the ball again if Game 2 turns into a nail-biter? Can the rest of the pen keep it together? Are the Yankees gonna come out swinging, looking for payback? I mean, you’d have to be nuts to count them out.

Boston’s got the vibes after that Game 1 escape job, but everyone knows October baseball’s a marathon. Chapman fired the first shot, but this war’s just getting started.

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