Aroldis Chapman’s Near-Miss Save Secures Red Sox Victory Over Braves

Boston’s left-handed closer entered the ninth inning of the May 16, 2026 game at Truist Park with a one-run lead. After two walks loaded the bases, a 104-mph liner off Ha-Seong Kim struck Chapman’s foot and bounced toward first. Chapman recovered, flipped the ball to first baseman Willson Contreras, and recorded the final out, preserving a 3-2 win.

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Chapman entered with a perfect 10-for-10 save record, a 0.57 ERA and a 21:7 K-BB ratio over 15.2 innings. The 377th career save tied Joe Nathan for tenth-all-time and marked his 25th consecutive save. He sits at 1,352 strikeouts, 11 shy of Hoyt Wilhelm’s reliever record and 47 saves behind John Franco for the left-handed saves lead.

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Starter Payton Tolle threw eight innings on 85 pitches, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out three, lowering his ERA to 2.05 and WHIP to 2.01. The Red Sox, at 19-26 overall and 0-21 when trailing after seven innings, leaned on Chapman’s late-inning reliability.

Payton Tolle Spins A Gem, Earns Win In Career-Best Start

Interim manager Chad Tracy said the team felt confident with Chapman on the mound and praised the win. When asked about his post-game embraces, Chapman explained through interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez that hugging his teammates is a routine part of his bullpen routine.

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Chapman’s wildness showed as only 10 of 20 pitches were strikes and two walks were issued. A throwing error by shortstop Andruw Monasterio threatened to end the game. Social-media speculation linked his embraces to a possible trade involving prospect Franklin Arias, which the Red Sox denied.

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• “Every time I get to the bullpen, I give them hugs.” — Aroldis Chapman, via interpreter

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• “I focused too much on the base runner instead of focusing on the hitter, and that was the main reason why I walked those two guys.” — Aroldis Chapman, via interpreter

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• “What was going through my mind was: Chapman, please just make the out,” — Willson Contreras, via interpreter

Boston Globe

• “Just awesome,” — Chad Tracy, interim manager

Boston Globe

The save moves Chapman toward a 400-save milestone and the left-handed saves record, reinforcing Boston’s reliance on a veteran closer during a struggling season. The defensive play highlights how a single split-second can decide a tightly contested series.

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Social-media rumors suggested a trade involving Chapman and prospect Franklin Arias; the club’s official denial offered no further detail. Chapman described his foot injury as “fine,” but no medical follow-up was provided.

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