Ex-Royals Pitcher Earned Win For Red Sox On Opening Day
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The Kansas City Royals began their 2025 season with a tough loss to the Cleveland Guardians. Cole Ragans drew the start and wasn't his usual dominant self, allowing three earned runs over five innings in a 7-4 loss.
The Royals lost the game in extra innings to Cleveland, falling below .500 to start the year.
However, elsewhere in Major League Baseball, some former members of the Royals had better stories to tell about Opening Day.
Left-hander Aroldis Chapman signed with the Boston Red Sox last offseason. He earned the win as Boston beat the Texas Rangers 5-2.
"Kansas City fans remember Chapman most as the reliever the Royals traded to the Texas Rangers in 2023 to get Cole Ragans. Chapman pitched only three months for KC before moving to the Rangers and then the Pirates before signing with the Boston Red Sox this winter," Mike Gillespie of FanSided wrote.
"Thursday, he made his first appearance for the Sox a winner. He pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth against Texas and became the beneficiary of Boston's game-breaking three-run ninth that gave the Sox a 3-2 victory and him a pitching win."
Ultimately, Chapman had a better story to tell than the man he was traded to Texas for, though that is a deal that has worked out quite well for the Royals.
Immediately after that trade, Chapman helped the Rangers win their first World Series title. He spent last year with the Pittsburgh Pirates before hitting free agency again and joining the Red Sox.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.
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