ANAHEIM, Calif. — Baseball history was made Friday night when Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox claimed the all-time record for strikeouts by a relief pitcher, shattering a mark that had gone unchallenged for over half a century.
The 38-year-old left-hander did not accomplish the feat with one of the blazing triple-digit heaters that have defined his career. Instead, his record-breaking pitch to the Angels’ Denzer Guzman registered at 98.6 mph — and Guzman still couldn’t get his bat around in time to make contact.
“I feel very happy, very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “I just feel very satisfied right now.”
The strikeout was the 1,364th of Chapman’s 17-year career, all of which has been spent coming out of the bullpen. It eclipsed the long-standing record of Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm, whose 21-year career wrapped up in 1972 — just five days before what would have been his 50th birthday.
After fanning Guzman, Chapman took only a brief moment to acknowledge the achievement before refocusing on the task at hand. He gave up a pair of hits but worked out of the jam by inducing a double-play grounder, helping Boston secure a 5-2 victory and earning his 383rd career save.
The Red Sox marked the occasion in their Angel Stadium clubhouse, playing a video highlighting Chapman’s career journey — from his debut with Cincinnati in 2010 through his two World Series titles with the Cubs and Rangers.
“It’s cool. We’ve been waiting for that one,” said Boston interim manager Chad Tracy. “What a career he’s had. The cool thing is watching the video, and you’re seeing him at a young age throwing 102, and he’s still doing it. It’s just incredible.”
The record-setting strikeout came in Chapman’s 889th major league appearance — every single one of them in relief. He earned the win for Red Sox rookie Jake Bennett, who was making his seventh appearance before tiring in the eighth inning.
“It’s incredible,” Bennett said. “It’s incredible to even just be a part of a team that it happens on.”
Chapman had not taken the mound since tying the record last Sunday, when he blew a save against the Yankees — a franchise with which he spent parts of seven seasons before a contentious parting four years ago. Since defecting from Cuba in 2009, Chapman has pitched for seven different teams, earned eight All-Star selections, and climbed to 10th on the all-time saves list.
The record spans more than 50 years of baseball and reflects a dramatic shift in how pitchers are deployed. Of the 14 pitchers in major league history to reach 1,000 strikeouts as a reliever, only Lindy McDaniel played in the same era as Wilhelm. The crafty knuckleballer was a World War II veteran and a trailblazer in relief pitching, among the first to be used in what is now called high-leverage situations — entering close games regardless of whether the starting pitcher was worn out.
Chapman has spent his entire career in those high-pressure moments, frequently overpowering hitters with a fastball that has reached as high as 105 mph.
His career has seen a resurgence since joining the Red Sox ahead of last season. After taking home AL Reliever of the Year honors in 2025 with a 1.17 ERA, he has converted 17 of 19 save opportunities this season while continuing to handle the toughest assignments.
“I was just focused on doing the job, day in and day out over the course of the last few weeks, getting to this point where I had the opportunity to break the record,” Chapman said. “I had some highs and some lows, but I’ve just tried to stay positive throughout.”
