Would the 2026 Red Sox Actually Trade Their All-Star Closer?
Aroldis Chapman, once thought to be a relic on his way out of pro baseball, is again an object of envy. The 38-year-old closer is defying the odds and having himself yet another incredible season, a rare diamond amidst the otherwise rough 2026 Boston Red Sox squad. He has attracted attention from other teams, but most notably the attention of the San Diego Padres, who are interested in bolstering their bullpen ahead of a potential playoff run. Are the Red Sox entertaining such rumors? If so, what would a successful Chapman trade even look like?
Since signing with Beantown ahead of the 2025 season, the Cuban veteran has looked like the best version of himself. Last year, he notched 32 saves and posted a career-best 1.17 ERA. If that wasn’t impressive enough, 2026’s ERA is a jaw-dropping 0.51. The man they call ‘The Missile’ has struck out 23 batters over 17 innings. He is actually on his way to becoming the all-time MLB strikeout leader amongst relievers, needing less than two dozen more to surpass Hoyt Wilhelm. This is all more than enough to make front offices everywhere salivate, especially, it seems, the hungry Padres. At the time of writing, the NL West franchise sits at 31-20, a top-five record in baseball. Given their hot but admittedly wild start, they should be buyers at the trade deadline, and it appears another relief arm is on their list. Pairing lefty Chapman with righty superhuman closer Mason Miller would make late-inning San Diego virtually unhittable.
The issue with this potential deal is that it doesn't seem particularly intriguing to Boston yet. Selling is a perfectly understandable position to hold given the state of the Sox, but Chapman is entirely too good to give up without a carefully considered haul in return. With their dreadful offense, specifically the utter lack of power, the nine-time World Series champions are hoping to bring an elite bat to Massachusetts. At this time, however, the market for hitters is lackluster, and San Diego is no exception. So, short of a miraculous and unexpected offer, entertaining trades for Aroldis feels like unserious business. For now.
