Red Sox's struggles opens up possible reunion with old friend to solve Rangers' closer issue

It has become abundantly clear that the Texas Rangers' management had planned on going with a closer-by-committee approach to begin the season.

It has worked out fairly well with a collection of relievers but now it's time go get a bona fide closer and thanks to the Boston Red Sox, that might lead Texas right to an old friend in 2023 World Series champion, Aroldis Chapman.

The Red Sox are in last place in the AL East

Through April, the Red Sox find themselves in the AL East cellar, eight games back staring up at the Yankees, who currently look like a team ready to run away with the division after only 30 games.

For the Rangers, that means 38-year-old Chapman could be on the move and could be the answer for a bullpen that, while effective, still lacks a true closer.

Chapman is coming off a brilliant 2025 season in which he recorded 32 saves with a1.17 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP. He has continued to find success in his limited opportunities with the Sox so far this season, notching five saves and yielding just a single earned run in 8.1 innings pitched.

Aroldis Chapman would gve Skip Schumaker much more flexibility with the bullpen

If the Red Sox were to make Chapman available and the Rangers wanted to reunite with the flame-throwing Cuban, it would free up several of the relievers to take on different roles within the staff.

Latz could return to his swingman role that he excelled at last season. Guys like Junis, Garcia, Alexander and Cole Winn could then combine to work the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings to get the ball to Chapman to shut the door.

Chapman and the Red Sox finalized a $13.3M deal with a 2027 option in September, but the way they have performed to begin 2026 could make all of that moot.

It would be nice to have some security at the end of games rather than hoping the closer of the day is able to finish things off when they are handed a late lead.

There's also a possibility that the Phillies could make prolific closer Jhoan Duran available, but the Rangers are more likely to go with the man who helped them win their only championship.

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