Red Sox Win Streak Changed Aroldis Chapman's Future originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When the Boston Red Sox were 37-48, the oncoming MLB trade deadline felt like a sure thing.
This ballclub, in a rare occurrence, would have to be a seller.
Players on expiring or less-than-ideal contracts could be moved, and the Red Sox would plan for the future.
And then they won 15 games in a row.

#future #aroldis

Starter Dylan Cease struck out three batters in the first inning to ignite a dominant American League pitching performance in a 4-0 victory over the National League in Tuesday's 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Cuban 38-year-old left-hander Aroldis Chapman and 31-year-old American right-hander Bryan Baker forced the final outs in the ninth inning to complete an overpowering pitching effort at Philadelphia.
"As the game went on, the pitching was just absolutely dominant," said AL outfielder Cody Bellinger, the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.
In the first All-Star Game shutout since 2013, 11 AL pitchers allowed NL batters three hits with two walks and struck out 15.
The AL won for the 11th time in the past 13 editions to seize a 49-45 with two drawn edge in the all-time rivalry.

MLB All-Star Game Score, Live Updates, Highlights From 2026 AL vs. NL Showdown originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Baseball's biggest stars will arrive at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game.
There is no shortage of stars who will take the field, from Philadelphia native Mike Trout (Angels) and Yordan Alvarez (Astros) for the American League to Juan Soto (Mets) and Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) for the National League.
Aroldis Chapman, Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela will represent the Red Sox in the Midsummer Classic, but starting pitcher Ranger Suarez will not be available to play. He was recently placed on the 15-day IL with a groin injury.
Follow along right here for live updates and highlights from the 2026 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

It’s the Midsummer Classic tonight in Philadelphia, just a few weeks after America’s 250th birthday. Is that why it’s in Philadelphia? Who knows?
The Red Sox have several representatives this year, which is kind of crazy given how most of this season has gone. Ceddanne Rafaela, Willson Contreras, and Aroldis Chapman are representing the team tonight, while Ranger Suarez was also named an All-Star but isn’t participating due to injury. Is there anything you’d like to see? Personally, I think it would be funny if Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch in a way that doesn’t hurt him. Has a suspended player ever played in the All-Star Game? Ceddanne making a diving catch would be a nice way for him to introduce himself to a wider audience, too.
First pitch will be some time after 8 PM (who knows what kind of pregame stuff they have planned) on FOX.
Lineups:

Sonny Gray's All-Star case is impossible to ignore after Ranger Suarez lands on the injured list originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Recently, the Boston Red Sox have been on a heater, sweeping three of their four last series, and winning 11 of their last 13 games. However, during their second-to-last series against the Los Angeles Angels, the Red Sox lost another starting pitcher to the IL, in Ranger Suarez.
Suarez being out not only changes things for the Red Sox, but also the MLB. Suarez was named to be one of Boston’s three All-Stars this season, along with Aroldis Chapman and Willson Contreras. However, now the MLB can right a wrong, and announce a snub from Boston to be his injury replacement: acting ace Sonny Gray.
Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Since late April, Gray has been the Red Sox’s acting ace since Garrett Crochet was put on the IL. In that time, he’s been dominant, posting a 10-1 record, a 2.61 ERA, 82 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.104 over 89 innings pitched.

Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras gets deserving All-Star news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox haven't had a great 2026 season, but they have some fantastic individual performers who are deserving of All-Star spots.
Ranger Suarez and Aroldis Chapman already earned spots on the AL All-Star team, but there were a few very notable snubs, with Sonny Gray one and Willson Contreras the other.
Fortunately, Contreras's snub didn't last very long, as only a few days after All-Star rosters were announced, the Red Sox announced that Contreras was an All-Star substitution.
"Another rep in Philly... Willson Contreras has been added to the AL All-Star team!" the Red Sox announced Tuesday.

The All-Star break is creeping up, and America just celebrated its 250th birthday. While most people are embracing the heat and warm months, the Orioles have not. Since GM Mike Elias said the team would be buyers before the upcoming trade deadline on Aug. 3, the team has gone just 3-5 and continues to foil their chances of a postseason berth.
With the team struggling, the expectations would be that Baltimore should be sellers. But after last season’s disaster, Mike Elias’ seat is currently heating up. Elias has been with Baltimore since 2018; the Orioles have a record of just 521-599 (.465) since hiring him. Not only that, but the team is still looking for its first playoff win since October 5, 2014, when it defeated the Detroit Tigers in Game 3 of the ALDS, advancing to the ALCS.
Since winning the 2014 ALDS, the team has been swept in every series it’s been in, including the 2014 ALCS. The team is 0-10 in their last 10 playoff games, the longest active losing streak in MLB and the fourth-longest all-time. If Mike wants to save his job, he’ll need to be aggressive at the deadline.
To help him, here are three players the Orioles should target to try to make a run to the playoffs.
Aroldis Chapman is a player that many fans probably don’t have in their top five, or even top 10, players they would like their team to trade for. But don’t let the 38-year-old gun slingers’ age deceive you. Since entering the league in 2010, he’s been one of the best relief pitchers in the league. He has a career ERA of 2.51, alongside a host of accomplishments that include being an eight-time All-Star and a two-time Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year award winner.

Red Sox receive 90% trade update on Aroldis Chapman from ESPN originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 Boston Red Sox have not had a good year whatsoever. Alex Cora has been fired, Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet have missed most of the season, and not much has gone right overall.
Now, under a month to go until the MLB trade deadline, the Red Sox are likely to act as sellers. If and when they do, the Red Sox will have some interesting decisions to make.
But one thing they should have no questions over is what to do with Aroldis Chapman. ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel gave the Red Sox a 90% chance to trade Chapman this summer, and it's an update that should surprise no Red Sox fans this year.
"10. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Boston Red Sox. Chance of being traded: 90%," Passan and McDaniel write. "... Here's the greatest truism of the deadline: Everyone needs a good reliever. Teams will climb over each other for Chapman."

Pirates get Aroldis Chapman trade update that includes Mets' 1.95 ERA reliever originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a chance to break an extended postseason drought that dates back to 2015.
To accomplish the feat, they may need to add another arm or two to their bullpen.
The Athletic's Jim Bowden wrote Monday that could be the Pirates' main focus as the trade deadline nears.
"The Pirates are concentrating on improving their run prevention, specifically by beefing up the bullpen with a difference-making back-end reliever," Bowden wrote.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jarren Duran and Willson Contreras homered, and five Boston pitchers combined to give up two runs over 6 1/3 innings in relief of injured starter Ranger Suarez to lead the Red Sox to a 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night.
Boston’s eighth victory in 10 games completed a three-game sweep of the Angels, who have lost six straight and 12 of 19 since June 14.
Suarez, named to the American League All-Star team Saturday, exited with two outs in the third because of left adductor tightness, an injury he sustained when he jumped for Jo Adell’s chopper over the mound.
The left-hander was followed by Greg Weissert (1-2), Tyron Guerrero and Garrett Whitlock, who combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings. Justin Slaten gave up a run in the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman allowed a solo homer to Zach Neto in the ninth before earning his 18th save.
The Angels scored twice in the first on Jorge Soler’s grounder and Adell’s RBI single. Boston tied it 2-all in the second on Duran’s 13th homer, a two-run shot to right-center off starter Ryan Johnson (1-4).

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jarren Duran and Willson Contreras homered, and five Boston pitchers combined to give up two runs over 6 1/3 innings in relief of injured starter Ranger Suarez to lead the Red Sox to a 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night.
Boston’s eighth victory in 10 games completed a three-game sweep of the Angels, who have lost six straight and 12 of 19 since June 14.
Suarez, named to the American League All-Star team Saturday, exited with two outs in the third because of left adductor tightness, an injury he sustained when he jumped for Jo Adell’s chopper over the mound.
The left-hander was followed by Greg Weissert (1-2), Tyron Guerrero and Garrett Whitlock, who combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings. Justin Slaten gave up a run in the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman allowed a solo homer to Zach Neto in the ninth before earning his 18th save.
The Angels scored twice in the first on Jorge Soler’s grounder and Adell’s RBI single. Boston tied it 2-all in the second on Duran’s 13th homer, a two-run shot to right-center off starter Ryan Johnson (1-4).

The Boston Red Sox are shaping up to be sellers at the MLB trade deadline, with the likes of Aroldis Chapman and Sonny Gray coveted by multiple teams. While no deal is imminent, we might have some idea of two clubs to keep an eye on for Gray.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote that he expects Boston will pay Gray his $10 million mutual option to help facilitate a trade and move the All-Star pitcher to a club of his choosing. He also specifically mentioned the Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox as two potential clubs who Gray might want to play for.
Read More: MLB Trades We’d Love to See This Month, including Sonny Gray
Sonny Gray contract (Spotrac): $11 million salary in 2026, $30 million mutual option for 2027
Gray, age 36, is a three-time All-Star selection. The $10 million would cover the increased buyout on the final year of his contract, which is first a club option. If an acquiring team decided to exercise the $30 million option for 2027, Gray would then have the choice of opting into the contract or declining it and foregoing the buyout to enter MLB free agency.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Red Sox had two left-handed pitchers — closer Aroldis Chapman and starter Ranger Suarez — chosen as members of the 2026 American League All-Star team Saturday night.
Curiously, standout newcomers Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras — who have performed well after coming to Boston in offseason trades with St. Louis — were left off the roster.
Chapman is an All-Star for the ninth time, having been selected via player balloting. Suarez is a second-time All-Star — though he was injured at the time and didn't participate — and was a pick of Major League Baseball and the Commissioner's Office.
Chapman, who made baseball history Friday night by becoming the all-time leader in strikeouts by a reliever, was an obvious choice, as he was a year ago when he was also selected. Chapman had a 2.10 ERA and 17 saves heading into Saturday's game against the Angels.
"Happy," said Chapman when asked his reaction. "It's been a really good first half for me, I think. The last couple of weeks have had some tough outings, but we're sticking with it. But overall, just really happy to represent. "

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Aroldis Chapman became the major leagues’ career leader in strikeouts as a reliever Friday night, toppling a record that had stood for more than half a century.
The Boston Red Sox’s 38-year-old left-hander didn’t do it with one of the triple-digit fastballs that have made him one of the most imposing pitchers of his generation and one of the most accomplished relievers in baseball history.
Instead, his high pitch to the Angels’ Denzer Guzman was clocked at a mere 98.6 mph — and Guzman still couldn’t get around in time.
“I feel very happy, very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “I just feel very satisfied right now.”
The strikeout was the 1,364th in Chapman’s 17-year career. It broke the record long held by Hoyt Wilhelm, the Hall of Famer whose 21-year career ended back in 1972, just five days shy of his 50th birthday.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Aroldis Chapman became the major leagues' career leader in strikeouts as a reliever Friday night, toppling a record that had stood for more than half a century.
The Boston Red Sox's 38-year-old left-hander didn't do it with one of the triple-digit fastballs that have made him one of the most imposing pitchers of his generation and one of the most accomplished relievers in baseball history.
Instead, his high pitch to the Angels' Denzer Guzman was clocked at a mere 98.6 mph — and Guzman still couldn't get around in time.
"I feel very happy, very proud of what I've been able to accomplish," Chapman said through an interpreter. "I just feel very satisfied right now."
The strikeout was the 1,364th in Chapman's 17-year career. It broke the record long held by Hoyt Wilhelm, the Hall of Famer whose 21-year career ended back in 1972, just five days shy of his 50th birthday.

On a huge sports day—a near-upset that would have made FIFA history between Argentina and Cape Verde, Novak Djokovic tying a record at Wimbledon, the Cardinals clobbering the rival Cubs 17-1, Tour de France regulations put in place due to extreme heat, Taylor Swift's wedding—this late-night match-up between the lowly Red Sox and Angels falls somewhere like the 18th most important sports story today.
Besides all that, it's the start of the holiday weekend. But for all the night owls who tuned in, it was a thoroughly enjoyable game!
Jake Bennett proved he belongs and Romy González showed he's back. Bennett quickly got out to a confident start, with a 1-2-3 first inning; he repeated that feat in each frame through the fourth, not allowing a hit until the fifth and never giving up a walk. I was surprised that Chad Tracy brought him out for the eighth, not because he was struggling—he most definitely wasn't—but because he'd never gone that deep in a game before. Sure enough, he was a little gassed and began to falter, giving up a home run, a single, a wild pitch, then another single. Two runs scored in the inning but this wasn't indicative of his night.
In the ninth, Aroldis Chapman broke Hoyt Wilhelm's record for most strikeouts by a reliever—not a closer, but all relievers.
As for the offense, the Sox hitters were as confident as their pitchers, with nearly everyone getting at least one hit. Rafaela, Abreu, Contreras, Durbin, and Duran were on the basepaths multiple times. Though Duran didn't have a hit, he had a nice sac fly, laid down a sacrifice bunt, and advanced on a fielding error.

Since entering MLB in 2010, Aroldis Chapman has been pumping a level of heat unseen in MLB history. Let's just say the strikeouts have followed.
With a strikeout of Denzer Guzman in the ninth inning of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Angels, the Boston Red Sox closer became the MLB all-time leader in strikeouts among relievers with 1,364 in his career. He broke a tie with Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm.
He got there with, naturally, a fastball.
Chapman doesn't throw with the 106 mph velocity that set a record early in his career anymore, but he has remained effective into his age-38 season. Friday was his 17th save of the season, and a scoreless inning lowered his ERA to 2.10.
That career has spanned seven different teams, with the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds as the primary employer of Chapman's services. He has been named to eight All-Star teams and won two World Series rings with the 2016 Chicago Cubs and 2023 Texas Rangers.

Aroldis Chapman Makes History: Red Sox Pitcher Breaks Reliever Strikeout Record originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
At 38 years old, Aroldis Chapman is still firing fastballs past hitters and making history.
On Friday night, Chapman moved to the top of the all-time reliever strikeout list, passing Hoyt Wilhelm to claim sole possession of the No. 1 spot. The Red Sox closer fittingly threw a pitch that nearly hit 100 mph on the radar gun, striking out Angels third baseman Denzer Guzman.
"It's cool. We've been waiting for that one," Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said after the game. "We got to celebrate him a little bit and show a video. What a career he's had. The cool thing is watching the video, and you're seeing him at a young age throwing 102, and he's still doing it. It's just incredible."
Amid a rough season for the Red Sox, Chapman has been a bright spot, closing out games with brutal efficiency. He did it again in the ninth inning against Los Angeles, earning his 17th save of the 2026 season.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Aroldis Chapman set the major league record for relief strikeouts after rookie Jake Bennett yielded five hits while pitching into the eighth inning for the Boston Red Sox in a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
The 38-year-old Chapman broke Hoyt Wilhelm's record with his 1,364th career strikeout as a reliever when he fanned Denzer Guzman leading off the ninth. The knuckleballing Wilhelm last pitched in 1972.
Chapman allowed back-to-back singles after his milestone strikeout, but got Jo Adell to ground into a double play to secure his 17th save.
Caleb Durbin hit a solo homer in the opener of a nine-game trip for the Red Sox, who have won six of eight.
In just his seventh career start, Bennett (3-3) struck out six with no walks while dominating the last-place Angels until the their two-run eighth.

Pirates Urged to Trade for Flame-Throwing Red Sox Closer to Fix Bullpen Issue originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Pirates are one of the more surprising teams of the 2026 MLB season, as they've gone from one of the worst teams in the league to one that has a legitimate chance of making the postseason.
But, as they are right now, they really need to improve the roster to have a real chance at the playoffs. The offense has been good, but the Pirates' pitching staff, specifically the bullpen, needs help.
ESPN's David Schoenfield is urging the Pirates to fix their closer issue by going out and reuniting with flame-throwing left-hander Aroldis Chapman in a trade with the Red Sox. Such a move would make perfect sense for the Pirates this summer.
"The Pirates are in the bottom half of the majors in bullpen ERA and win probability added as Gregory Soto, the primary closer, has a terrible ratio of 11 saves to four blown saves and is too erratic to be a playoff closer," Schoenfield writes. "Of course, they need to get there first, which is why they need Chapman."

Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the coolest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and cool off with us. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. We still have a few tables available. There’s a two-drink minimum, but it is bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night, I asked you if you would be like to see the Cubs trade for Aroldis Chapman again. The last time the Cubs did that, they won the World Series. This time, 55 percent of you would like to deal for the older (and hopefully wiser) Chapman.
Here’s the part with the music and the movies. You’re free to skip that if you want. You won’t hurt my feelings.
Tonight we have the great Chet Baker singing “Time After Time” in 1964. No, not the Cyndi Lauper song of the same name that Miles Davis covered. This is the Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne standard from 1947.

BOSTON (AP) — Jarren Duran singled home the winning run to cap a three-run rally in the 10th inning after Boston blew a two-run lead in the ninth, and the Red Sox finished a four-game sweep of the rival New York Yankees with a 5-4 victory Sunday night.
Boston starter Sonny Gray took a no-hitter into the eighth against his former team before Amed Rosario singled with one out. That ended a brilliant outing for Gray, who had nine strikeouts to reach 2,000 for his career.
But the Yankees scored twice in the ninth off All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman to tie it 2-all, aided enormously by a brutal throwing error from two-time Gold Glove right fielder Wilyer Abreu.
New York scratched across two more runs in the 10th, taking advantage of another throwing error by Abreu after Rosario’s sinking liner squirted out of his glove for an RBI single. But right-hander Fernando Cruz (4-3) was unable to hold the lead after closer David Bednar had pitched the previous two innings.
Boston’s first four-game sweep of the Yankees at home since 2018 marked the first four-game winning streak this season for the last-place Red Sox.

BOSTON (AP) — Jake Bennett held New York to one run in 6 1/3 innings, Masataka Yoshida hit a leadoff home run off Gerrit Cole and the Boston Red Sox beat the Yankees for the third straight day, 4-1 on Saturday.
Willson Contreras had a two-run double and Anthony Seigler hit his first major league homer, a solo shot, for the Red Sox, who have won six of nine and outscored the Yankees 16-5 in the first three games of series.
Max Schuemann hit his first homer with the Yankees, who have lost six of eight.
Like Friday, when a rookie lefty was flirting with a no-hitter in the middle innings, Bennett held New York hitless until Schuemann’s two-out homer in the fifth.
The 25-year-old Bennett (2-3) allowed three hits before leaving with one out in the seventh. Aroldis Chapman, the third reliever, got the final three outs for his 16th save and 383rd of his career.

BOSTON (AP) — Caleb Durbin broke a tie with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, Connelly Early allowed two runs over six innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 6-3 on Thursday night.
Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman bounced back after two losses for his 15th save of the season. Nate Eaton and Ceddanne Rafaela each drove in a run for Boston, which beat the Yankees at Fenway Park for the first time this season. New York swept a three-game series at Fenway back in April.
Durbin's homer came off Yankees starter Cam Schlittler (8-4) and came one day after his left pinkie was dislocated against Colorado. The third baseman was in starting lineup and sent a shot into the first row of the Green Monster seats for his fifth homer this month.
Early (7-5) struck out a season-high nine. He allowed five hits and walked two.
Jose Caballero homered for New York.

How Hot Is Red Sox's Craig Breslow's Seat? MLB Insider Dishes originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is public enemy No. 1 in New England. But that's to be expected with the club languishing in last place in the American League East, 14.5 games behind the first-place New York Yankees.
The Red Sox sit seven games back in the AL Wild Card standings and many insiders are expecting Boston to hold a fire sale, with right-hander Sonny Gray, first baseman Willson Contreras and closer Aroldis Chapman the top trade targets.
But at least one MLB guru says Breslow's job isn't on the line ... right now.
" I think he’s going to end up being the one who makes these decisions at the deadline," FanSided's Robert Murray reported Monday. "Come the offseason though, I think the Red Sox are going to have to ask themselves where exactly the are and if he’s the right guy going forward.

Red Sox could flip Tyron Guerrero's stunning comeback into valuable trade ****** ets originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox are now looking to sweep for their first time in a while, and things might be turning around for them. If they go on a roll, they could actually switch from sellers to buyers right at the trade deadline.
However, if they fall at any point in this road trip, more likely than not they will be sellers. Guys like Aroldis Chapman, Jarren Duran and Sonny Graywill all be sought-after names on the market.
There is one more under-the-radar name as well, and that would be the veteran reliever going through a rebirth, Tyron Guerrero.
© David Butler II-Imagn Images

MLB team Los Angeles Dodgers‘ superstar Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, have announced the birth of their second child.
The couple shared the news Saturday through a joint statement on Instagram. Ohtani was recently placed on the Dodgers’ paternity list and stepped away from the team to be with his family.
“We are again overjoyed to experience this wonderful day in our lives together,” Ohtani and Tanaka wrote. “Thank you for being born safely. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported us throughout this journey.”
The couple did not reveal the baby’s name, gender, or exact birth date.
MORE: Yankees-Aroldis Chapman reunion becoming more unlikely

The Los Angeles Dodgers could be headed down a familiar road, targeting superstar reliever Aroldis Chapman to push for the team’s three-peat.
Chapman has been one of the most dominant closers in baseball for a very long time at this point, throwing harder than anyone else and avoiding bats with his fastball still in his late 30s.
He is somewhat of a rental, possessing just one year left on his contract in 2026 and a vesting option for 2027.
Additionally, Chapman is on one of MLB’s spiraling teams — the Boston Red Sox — making him clearly available for a trade if the right price comes in.
Insider Jeff Passan has the odds of a Chapman trade happening at 90%, and among the best fits in the league for him was the Dodgers.

Chad Tracy: Aroldis Chapman Injury Healing, 'We Haven't Had To Use Him' originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Boston Red Sox closing pitcher Aroldis Chapman has been dealing with a lingering hamstring injury.
The injury has not prevented the 38-year-old pitcher from posting the lowest ERA in Major League Baseball this season, but he did allow an earned run on Thursday for the first time in more than two full calendar months.
Interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters that Chapman is making up ground in his injury recovery, and the fact that the Red Sox keep losing is actually helping.
"We are getting better. I'm sure it's moderately there, but it's improving a lot," Tracy said of Chapman's hamstring on Wednesday. "Unfortunately, the case of it improving is because we haven't had to use him much. But in his case, we use him in the ninth, and if we aren't (winning), he gets to rest."

One team is already off the Red Sox’s list for an Aroldis Chapman trade, and it’s not the Yankees originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The National League Central has been one of the more competitive divisions in Major League Baseball this season. While every team was above .500 for much of the year, there's now just one team that isn't, with the Cincinnati Reds sitting at 35-37.
The Reds have done some nice things throughout the year, but as a whole, haven't been able to compete at the level everyone expected. The offense, at times, can be very good, and the same can be said for one of the better pitching staffs in Major League Baseball.
However, the bullpen has been a major concern, and until that changes, there will be legitimate questions about whether Cincinnati can actually compete with high-end teams in the second half or make the postseason.
Trading for somebody like Aroldis Chapman could make a lot of sense, but according to one recent report, the chances of that happening are very low, giving the Boston Red Sox another team that likely won't be on Chapman's list of potential trade partners.