One of the more pressing issues for the Detroit Tigers is their bullpen. Despite sitting atop the American League, the Tigers’ bullpen has a lot of uncertainty. Whether it’s the lackluster strikeout production or the recent regression of Brant Hurter, the Tigers need to find an answer.
Nick Selbe and Will Laws of Sports Illustrated found a potential solution. They predicted that the Tigers would trade for Boston Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman. One of the best relievers in the game, the flame-throwing lefty would be a huge addition to the Tigers’ bullpen.
Chapman, in his incredible 16-year career, is having another great year at 37 years old. The seven-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion is pitching better than he has in some time.
Across Chapman’s 36 appearances for the Red Sox in 2025, he has a 1.36 ERA and a 3-2 record. Across 33 innings of work, Chapman has 48 strikeouts and 10 walks, his best strikeout-to-walk ratio since 2020 and 2016 before that.
He’s among the game’s best relievers, and he’s dominating on the mound once again. His 306 ERA+ is the second highest of his career, behind only his 2016 stint with the Chicago Cubs when he helped them win the World Series.
If Selbe’s and Laws’ predictions were to come true, and the Tigers were to land Chapman, he’d be the perfect fit. A veteran reliever, who’s on a reasonable $10.75 million deal and in the middle of one of his best seasons, is exactly what the Tigers need. What makes Chapman an even better fit is his strikeout ability.
The Tigers don’t have many relievers who can generate strikeouts. Chapman would immediately become the team’s main strikeout artist and would round out a bullpen that needs a spark. Chapman, the flame-throwing lefty, would solve the Tigers’ problems in the bullpen.
Adding a reliever with a 2.58 career ERA across 16 seasons and 832 games is a no-brainer. Chapman would be an immense upgrade for the Tigers and would give the team one of the most intimidating bullpens in baseball.
