The Atlanta Braves are reeling after a brutal series of injuries to key players throughout the 2024 season, sidelining stars like Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, and Austin Riley. Now, as if that wasn’t enough, the team has announced that reliever Joe Jiménez will be out for at least eight months following knee surgery.
With Jiménez gone and the bullpen needing reinforcement, the Braves front office faces a tough but urgent challenge: finding a reliable arm in the offseason to keep their 2025 World Series aspirations alive.
FanSided’s Chase Owens has been vocal about a possible solution to this problem: signing legendary closer Aroldis Chapman. Despite being 36, Chapman still commands respect—and speed—from the mound, boasting a fastball that clocked an average of 98.7 mph last season.
While Chapman’s control has become a bit unpredictable over the years, his experience and signature heat make him a unique bullpen asset, especially if he’s willing to transition out of a strict closer role.
Owens argues that stepping away from the high-stakes ninth inning could help Chapman throw more freely in the zone, reducing the control issues that have crept into his game. And while he might not have dominated in his earlier years, Chapman’s resume remains impressive: a seven-time All-Star, he has racked up 335 career saves and 1,246 strikeouts over his 15-season career.
In 2024, Chapman pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, posting a 3.79 ERA with 14 saves across 18 games. Though he earned $10.5 million on a one-year deal, he’s now a free agent and reportedly open to a setup role—an ideal fit for a team like the Braves. With a deep postseason run as the goal, adding Chapman could provide Atlanta with the experienced arm they need to navigate a grueling 162-game season and beyond.
For Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos, the bullpen wasn’t supposed to be a pressing issue this offseason. But with Jiménez out, Atlanta’s front office is under pressure to replace a critical reliever who posted an impressive 2.62 ERA in 2024. Jiménez’s absence has forced Anthopoulos into an offseason scramble for stability and depth in a bullpen that, until recently, seemed solid.
Chapman wouldn’t be a one-for-one replacement for Jiménez, but he could be the veteran addition that brings experience and grit to a thin bullpen. With so many key players already lost to injury, adding a reliable and battle-tested reliever like Chapman could give the Braves exactly what they need—a trusted arm to fortify the bullpen.
