Chapman (6-5) blew a save and was tagged with Thursday's loss to Seattle. He allowed two runs on two hits and a walk without retiring a batter.
Chapman, who worked the eighth inning of a close game Wednesday, was given the closing opportunity Thursday but failed to secure a win that would have clinched Texas' first postseason berth since 2016. He was removed after back-to-back singles and a walk (eight pitches, three strikes). Jonathan Hernandez inherited Chapman's runners and nearly got out of jam, but he allowed a two-run, walk-off double to J.P. Crawford. Neither single off Chapman was hard hit, but the performance adds to a stretch of shaky relief from the southpaw. Over his last 14 outings going back to Aug. 21, Chapman is 1-3 with two blown saves, a 6.23 ERA and 12 walks over 13 innings.
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Rangers' Aroldis Chapman: Works eighth inning
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Chapman struck one over a scoreless inning in Wednesday's 5-0 win over the Angels.
It was a 2-0 game in the eighth inning when manager Bruce Bochy had Chapman enter the game. Bochy had Jose Leclerc in mind for the save, which never materialized after the Rangers scored three times in the top of the ninth. Chapman is having a shaky September and appears to be sharing the closer duty with Leclerc.
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Rangers' Aroldis Chapman: Notches save Saturday
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Chapman picked up a save against the Mariners on Saturday, walking one batter and allowing no runs over two-thirds of an inning.
Chapman threw just five of his 10 pitches for strikes and walked the first batter he faced to put the tying run on base after entering with one out and one on in the ninth. However, the fireballer was able to retire Seattle's final two batters to close out the contest and record his sixth save. Chapman has been shaky in September with a 5.14 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 11:5 K:BB over seven innings, but he's converted both of his save chances while emerging as Texas' primary ninth-option ahead of Will Smith.
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Rangers' Aroldis Chapman: Works multiple innings
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Chapman (6-4) struck out three over 1.2 innings to earn Tuesday's win over the Red Sox.
Texas manager Bruce Bochy, who told Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday afternoon that he's trying to avoid using Chapman for more than one inning, did just that. Chapman entered the seventh inning with Boston rallying and ended the threat. The reliever managed a perfect eighth before Jose Leclerc picked up the save. The bullpen has blown leads late in two recent games, as Bochy avoided bringing Chapman in before the ninth inning. However, the manager altered course Tuesday, saying "we've got find a way to win ballgames." Bochy perhaps took that approach because the Rangers' bullpen has an AL-worst 6.38 ERA since Aug. 16.
Chapman was not used in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Guardians.
Texas held a 1-0 lead in the top of the eighth inning, and manager Bruce Bochy let setup reliever Will Smith, who finished out the seventh, open the frame. He was pulled with one out after giving up a double and a walk. At that point, instead of using Chapman in a high-leverage spot for a save opportunity, Bochy brought in Jose Leclerc, who gave up two hits that allowed the inherited runners to score. Chapman was well-rested, last having pitched Tuesday, and could have been used for a five-out save. However, he's been erratic of late, allowing seven runs (five earned) on five hits (including two home runs) and seven walks over the last 5.2 innings.
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Rangers' Aroldis Chapman: Notches fifth save
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Chapman earned a save against the Athletics on Saturday, walking two batters and striking out one in a scoreless inning.
With the Rangers having lost seven of eight games and needing a win as they battle for a playoff spot, manager Bruce Bochy deployed both of his co-closers late in a close contest. Will Smith got the final out of the seventh and followed with a scoreless eighth, while Chapman was called upon to close things out in the ninth. The latter made things stressful for Texas fans with a pair of walks but was able to navigate past those to pick up the save. Though they've come 10 days apart, Chapman has picked up the past two saves for the Rangers. However, he hasn't exactly been sharp of late, giving up seven runs (five earned) and posting an 11:9 K:BB over his past 7.2 frames.
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Rangers' Aroldis Chapman: Takes loss Saturday
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Chapman (5-4) was tagged with Saturday's extra-inning loss to the Twins. He allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and one walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning.
Chapman got the final two outs in the top of the ninth inning but surrendered three runs without retiring a batter in the extra frame. It was the second straight outing that resulted in a loss for Chapman, who also has two blown saves over his last six appearances. He had walked just four batters over his first 16 innings after being acquired by the Rangers, but control issues are now haunting Chapman. He's walked seven, hit a batter and thrown two wild pitches during the recent six-outing stretch, producing a 7.94 ERA and 2.12 WHIP.
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Rangers' Aroldis Chapman: Notches fourth save
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Chapman gave up a solo home run and struck out one in the ninth inning Tuesday to record his fourth save of the season in a 2-1 win over the Mets.
Will Smith's recent struggles -- he's blown his last two save chances and hasn't successfully converted one since Aug. 11 -- have forced manager Bruce Bochy to look elsewhere at the end of games, with Jose Leclerc getting the save Monday before Chapman got his turn Tuesday. The veteran lefty watched rookie Mark Vientos get just enough of a 100.8-mph fastball to send it out to the opposite field, but otherwise Chapman got the job done on an efficient nine pitches (eight strikes). Smith tossed a scoreless eighth to pick up a hold and hasn't been removed completely from the high-leverage mix, but the Rangers could be headed toward a closing committee unless someone seizes the job.
Chapman blew a save against the Diamondbacks on Monday, allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out two batters over two innings.
With Texas ahead 1-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth, it was Chapman who got the call from the bullpen to close things out. He couldn't do so, allowing a game-tying solo home run to Ketel Marte with one out. Chapman did settle down from there to finish that frame and the 10th without allowing any more runs, and he looked to be in line for the win when Texas scored twice in the top of the 11th. However, Will Smith -- who has been working as the Rangers' primary closer of late -- coughed up three two-out runs to blow a save opportunity of his own. Smith has blown two of five save chances over his past seven outings while posting a 15.19 ERA and 2.25 WHIP, so Chapman could be in line for more ninth-inning opportunities, though there hasn't yet been any word of a changing of the guard between the duo.
Chapman walked one and struck out three over a scoreless eighth inning to record a hold in Monday's 5-3 win over the Athletics.
Chapman recorded a fourth straight hold, all which have come with him pitching the eighth inning. Texas manager Bruce Bochy has settled on a late-game pattern, where Josh Sborz works the seventh, Chapman the eighth, and Will Smith closes in the ninth. That's been the formula for four victories during the Rangers' seven-game winning streak. Chapman's been brilliant since being acquired from Kansas City in late June, posting a 23:3 K:BB over 12 innings. The lone blemish was a blown save July 24 against division rival Houston.
Chapman allowed one hit and struck out three over one inning in to earn a hold in Tuesday's 2-0 win over the White Sox.
Chapman made his first appearance in eight days, showing no rust in a 15-pitch outing (11 strikes). The left-hander blew up in his previous appearance, giving up three runs and walking two in a loss to the Astros, but that's been the lone blemish since joining the Rangers in late June. Chapman has allowed five hits and two walks while striking out 17 over nine innings in a Texas uniform.
Chapman allowed three runs on one hit and two walks while striking out two over one inning in Monday's 10-9 loss to the Astros.
Chapman warmed up when the game was tied in the sixth inning in preparation to face the heart of Houston's order -- Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker and Jose Abreu -- in the seventh. After the Rangers plated three in the top half of the frame, Chapman gave it all back with two walks -- his first free passes since joining the Rangers -- and a Chas McCormick home run. This was the first adverse outing for Chapman in a Texas uniform. The left-hander sparkled over his first seven appearances, giving up three hits without a walk while striking out 12 over seven innings.
