The Boston Red Sox will take Monday off after dropping two of three games to the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida, but they return home Tuesday for a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians with encouraging news on their closer.
Aroldis Chapman has not pitched since Sept. 13 against Kansas City. The 38-year-old left-hander has been dealing with lat tightness that kept him unavailable over the weekend.
The club indicated Chapman should be ready for the final homestand that begins Tuesday at Fenway Park.
Chapman is in the midst of another strong season. He is 3-4 with a 1.95 ERA, 34 saves and 68 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings across 52 appearances. His WHIP sits at 1.14.He has converted 34 of 36 save chances. His four-seam fastball has averaged 96.9 mph this year.
The Cuban-born reliever reached 401 career saves earlier this season. He also became the all-time strikeout leader among relief pitchers in July.
Boston clinched a wild-card berth Sunday despite a 5-1 loss to the Rays. The Red Sox are 84-72 and sit third in the AL East, 11 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay.
They have gone 52-25 since sitting 32-46 and 15 1/2 games out of first place on June 24. Interim manager Chad Tracy is 74-55 since taking over in late April.
The team holds a four-game lead over the Chicago White Sox for the second wild-card spot with six games remaining.
Garrett Whitlock and Erik Miller handled recent save situations while Chapman was sidelined. Whitlock recorded his fourth save of the year last week.
Chapman is under contract for $13.3 million this season. A $13 million mutual option for 2027 becomes guaranteed if he remains healthy and passes a physical after the season. He has already surpassed the 40-inning threshold attached to that clause.
The Red Sox bullpen has been a strength throughout the year. Chapman’s availability for the Guardians series and the following set against the Chicago Cubs would give the club a clearer picture heading into the postseason.
Boston is projected to face the New York Yankees in a best-of-three Wild Card series beginning Sept. 29 on the road unless the standings shift in the final week.
The Guardians arrive at Fenway after their own late-season push. Cleveland remains in the mix for an AL Wild Card berth.
Chapman first felt the lat tightness last Tuesday. He has reported improvement through the week and was not placed on the injured list.
The Red Sox have been cautious with their veteran closer given the proximity of the playoffs. They have enough of a cushion in the wild-card race that they do not need to rush him back.
Chapman’s last outing was a scoreless ninth inning with three strikeouts against the Royals. He walked two in that appearance.
His 2026 numbers include a 12.08 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate and just three home runs allowed.
The left-hander was named an All-Star for the ninth time this summer. He also earned All-Star honors in 2025.
Boston’s remaining regular season games are all at Fenway Park. The homestand offers a chance to get Chapman work before the postseason begins.
The clubhouse celebrated the playoff clinch Sunday night in St. Petersburg after the Houston Astros lost to Atlanta, which officially locked in Boston’s berth.
Players and staff gathered for a team photo on the field after the result became official.
The Red Sox now shift focus to finishing the regular season healthy and sharp. Chapman’s expected return is a key piece of that preparation.
