Red Sox closer situation coming into focus ahead of Opening Day
The Red Sox closer job is set to go to the longest-tenured major-league veteran in the group.
Aroldis Chapman recently emerged as the “in-house favorite” to begin the 2025 season as the Red Sox closer, according to Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam at MassLive. A veteran of 15 NFL seasons with 335 career saves, the 37-year-old Chapman is still capable of touching 100 mph with his fastball and generating swings and misses (10 strikeouts in 5.1 spring innings), but will raise the heart rates of Red Sox fans with his erratic control (four walks).
Chapman did have legitimate competition, who could still threaten for save opportunities during the season. Liam Hendriks, who hasn’t pitched since 2023, is healthy and projected to slot into a late-inning spot. He recently hit 96 on his fastball during spring training.
Then there’s 27-year-old Justin Slaten, who made his major-league debut in 2024 and compiled a 2.93 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 55.1 innings, while averaging 96.6 mph on his fastball and 91.6 on his cutter (via Fangraphs). The MassLive guys argue that Slaten “seems best suited for a high-leverage role.”
The Red Sox bullpen may relatively lack stability with the mix of relievers they’ve built for the start of the 2025 campaign, but the closer role seems to be starting with Chapman. Relief pitching will be one of the key question marks to monitor after the season starts.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
