‘Lights out’ Aroldis Chapman inspiring confidence from KC Royals with resurgent start
Given the way Saturday’s game between Kansas City and San Francisco unfolded — KC erased a four-run deficit to win 6-5 — the bottom of the ninth was among the least eventful of the late half-innings.
Of course, that was partly the case because the Royals, who didn’t want to bring in closer Scott Barlow after he pitched the two days prior, have a second closer in the bullpen who has been doing it for quite some time.
Veteran reliever and longtime star closer Aroldis Chapman has made four appearances for KC this year, including two in San Francisco. In four innings, he’s allowed one hit, one walk and no runs. He’s struck out eight of a possible 12 batters. That strikeout rate — 18 per 9 innings — would just barely beat out his previous career-best.
“He’s been lights out,” said acting manager Paul Hoover. “We’ve seen it in spring training, from the beginning. The velo is there, the slider, the split. And for him off of last year, getting back to form of who he has been his whole career has been really good for him and for us.”
Indeed, 2022 was a down year for Chapman, who posted the worst K/9 mark (10.7) of his career. His 4.46 ERA was the worst of his career. He walked 6.9 batters per 9 innings, his second-worst mark.
A year later, the early returns couldn’t be more positive. Following his first save of the season on Saturday, Chapman was asked how he feels like he’s throwing the ball right now. He answered with three words of Spanish, which Royals assistant strength and conditioning coach Luis Perez boiled down to two in his translation.
“Very good,” he translated.
Standing next to him, Salvador Perez was asked how confident he is in the Royals reliever. Perez’s answer, also in Spanish, was pretty straightforward.
“Bastante,“ Perez began, “Cien por ciento confianza.”
Translated?
Quite ... 100% confident.
As mentioned, Saturday’s game brought plenty of fireworks, including when Taylor Clarke faced a bases-loaded jam with nobody out, only to strike out the side and get the Royals out of the eighth.
After speaking on his own performance, Clarke was eager to pass praise to Chapman.
“He’s awesome,” Clarke said. “Just being able to watch him do it, I’ve never seen someone pitch like him. Watching him in the bullpen every day, it’s like a spectacle. Just being able to throw it like that, it’s pretty special.”
Clarke joked that when Chapman is only hitting 99 miles per hour on his legendary fastball, the Royals start to wonder what’s wrong with him. But it’s the off-speed stuff, Clarke continued, that takes it to the next level.
“Even throwing his splitter and slider, when he’s landing those in the zone it’s game over,” Clarke said.
A few lockers down, new-Royal-but-veteran-outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. chimed in with his view.
“Those triple digits, that helps,” Bradley said. “He’s pretty tall. He has good leverage, good extension. Now he’s even developed all of his secondary pitches as well. It’s not just fastball. He’s locating. He’s been very aggressive in the zone, and that’s what you love to see.”
It’s all been key for a Royals team that has leaned on its bullpen to close things out during a recent winning surge. Hoover raved about the depth of the bullpen after Saturday’s game, while Kyle Isbel expressed confidence in both Barlow and Chapman — neither of whom have allowed a run this season.
“I feel like when (Chapman) and Scotty come in, the game is just over if we have the lead,” Isbel said. “I feel like it seals the deal right then and there.”
One more voice from the clubhouse?
“You see him throughout the years being one of the best relievers year in and year out,” said MJ Melendez. “He’s a guy a lot of hitters are not wanting to face, a feared guy in the ‘pen. So to be able to have him on our side is huge, especially late in close games like that.”
This story was originally published April 9, 2023 at 2:20 PM.
