Pirates Should Trade for Red Sox All-Star Pitcher
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates clearly need bullpen help and there is one pitcher that would help them out in this regard, if they decide to go after him.
Boston Red Sox left-handed relief pitcher and closer Aroldis Chapman is one player that would vastly improve their bullpen and is likely an available name on the trade market this season.
The Red Sox are 26-34 at this point of the season, last in the American League East Division, fourth-worst record in the AL and the sixth-worst record in baseball, making them likely sellers at the trade deadline.
Pittsburgh's bullpen problems have ruined many winnable games this season and it's time for them to act with aggression and add a top arm.
Why Chapman Would Help the Pirates Out
Chapman has been incredible this season, with 12 saves in 12 opportunities, one earned run allowed for a 0.48 ERA over 19 outings and 18.2 innings pitched, 25 strikeouts to seven walks, a .141 batting average allowed (BAA) and a 0.86 WHIP.
He also dominated for the Red Sox in 2025, with a 1.17 ERA over 67 outings and 61.1 innings pitched, 85 strikeouts to 15 walks, a .132 BAA and a 0.70 WHIP, plus 32 saves in 34 outings.
Chapman has shown that he is a reliable option out of the bullpen and someone that a struggling team like the Red Sox still highly value.
His pitch-mix is still the same, with the sinker, four-seam fastball, slider and split-finger or splitter, relying more so on his sinker than his four-seamer, but still ramping them both in the upper 90s-mph.
The advanced metrics aren't as kind to Chapman as they've been in recent seasons, but he's still amongst the hardest pitchers to hit, especially late in the game.
It also doesn't hurt that Chapman is familiar with the Pirates, pitching for them in the 2024 season and even wanted to return for the 2025 season, before signing with the Red Sox.
How Chapman Would Feature in Pirates Bullpen
The Pirates need anyone that can help out a bullpen that has blown multiple big leads over a number of games this season, or 13 blown saves total.
Pittsburgh most recently blew a 9-5 lead with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Houston Astros and gave up six earned runs to end up losing 11-9 at Daikin Park on June 3.
Most concerning were both of Pirates left-handed options in Mason Montgomery and Gregory Soto giving up three earned runs each in that eighth inning.
Both Montgomery and Soto have been two of the best relief pitchers for the Pirates, and those outings are worrisome for a Pirates bullpen that has already seen great regression from some of their better pitchers last season.
Dennis Santana has struggled massively in 2026, with a 5.47 ERA, the Pirates designated Justin Lawrence for assignment after a 5.32 ERA and traded him to the Minnesota Twins and also sent Isaac Mattson down to Triple-A Indianapolis following a rough stretch.
Chapman could slot into the closer role or work as a set-up man in the eighth inning, but either way, he would give the Pirates a high-leverage arm that would greatly impove their bullpen.
Will the Pirates Get Chapman in a Trade?
It's highly unlikely the Pirates add Chapman right now and much more likely by the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Struggling teams won't move their best bullpen arms at this point, except for a massive haul, which the Pirates would not be wise to do so early on.
The Pirates are reportedly looking for bullpen help, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, but even being more aggressive than other teams won't change the harsh reality that there really isn't much out there for them at this time.
It's easy for the Pirates to panic, but the addition of Chapman will have to wait, if they choose and do it, which will still result in them parting with many of their top prospects.
Top pitching prospect Seth Hernandez and outfielder Edward Florentino would likely serve as the only prospects that the Pirates wouldn't part with this season, but they'll definitely consider all their options when it comes to improving a key part of the team to improve their playoff chances.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.