The Pittsburgh Pirates added another big arm at the back of their bullpen.
Left-hander Aroldis Chapman agreed to a one-year, $10.5-million deal with the Pirates on Monday, sources told Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Chapman is coming off a solid season split between the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. He posted a 3.09 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and 103 strikeouts over 58 1/3 innings, while converting six saves.
The 35-year-old remains an elite strikeout pitcher, but he struggles with his control at times. He posted a 41.4% K-rate last season to go with a 14.5% walk rate. He only allowed four home runs in 61 appearances.
After spending the bulk of his career as a closer, Chapman pitched in more of a setup role last season. He will likely serve as a setup man for Pirates closer David Bednar while giving the club another experienced late-inning arm on days when Bednar may not be available.
The seven-time All-Star gives a young Pirates team another veteran to lean on. He's coming off a World Series championship and won another title with the Chicago Cubs in 2016.
Pirates owner Bob Nutting said last week that he expects the club to take a step forward in 2024 after a 76-win season. The team has already added pitchers Martín Pérez and Marco Gonzales, in addition to signing first baseman Rowdy Tellez and re-signing veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen.
