Overview
- Chapman reached the 40‑inning mark during the Red Sox’s win in Pittsburgh on Saturday, which activated the vesting clause in his contract.
- The vested option guarantees Chapman a base $13 million for 2027 and includes award‑based escalators worth up to $1 million for winning top reliever honors and smaller payouts for other placements.
- The contract will only become official after Chapman clears a post‑season physical exam, making his health the remaining formal hurdle.
- Chapman has been one of MLB’s top relievers in 2026 with roughly a 2.04 ERA and 27 saves, and his July AL Reliever of the Month run strengthened his case for additional award bonuses.
- With the option triggered, Boston can plan its 2027 bullpen around Chapman’s ninth‑inning role, and the milestone also adds to his late‑career ledger including a move into the top 10 in all‑time saves while reports that he passed Hoyt Wilhelm’s relief‑pitcher strikeout mark remain less fully corroborated.