Can Aroldis Chapman endear himself to Red Sox fans?

When the Boston Red Sox signed closer Aroldis Chapman to his 1-year, $10.75 million deal during the offseason, the decision was met with some pushback by fans and media alike. Chapman, for much of his career, has been borderline hated by the Boston faithful.

Chapman's off-field actions have rightfully earned him a negative reputation, and his time with the New York Yankees added to Bostonians’ disdain. However, he is a Red Sox now, and through the first few games of the year may be earning some respect in Boston -- as absurd as that may sound. 

Chapman has taken the mound four times for the Red Sox so far, pitching 3.2 innings. He has a 2-0 record, two saves, one hit allowed, no runs, four strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.09 -- his lowest in over a half-decade, excluding 2019, where he only appeared in 13 games -- which are all undeniably good numbers.

But, the roar of the crowd at Fenway and the voice of Dave O’Brien singing the praises of Chapman as he stares down home plate is slightly odd and unsettling, considering his tumultuous past. 

Nonetheless, what it goes to show is that winning is almost always the great eraser. It shows that even a guy like Chapman, who was rightfully despised in Boston for years, can right all the ship with fans by just performing to his capabilities, if not exceeding expectations. 

Now, is it a good thing that fans have seemingly forgiven Chapman because he’s throwing a baseball above 100 mph in a Red Sox uniform? Not necessarily. That being said, it shows how easy it is for players to be liked by the Boston fanbase if they are simply effective on the field.

Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.