Aroldis Chapman becomes the most strikeout left-handed reliever in MLB history

Supported by the strength of his left arm, Cuban thrower Aroldis Chapman of the Pittsburgh Pirates reached new heights this Saturday by becoming the left-handed reliever with the most strikeouts Major League Baseball (MLB) history.

At the age of 36, the Holguín native hit Travis d’Arnaud and pinch hitter Sean Murphy in the ninth inning, although the Pirates lost 1-2 to the Atlanta Braves in 10 turns. With this performance, Chapman surpassed Billy Wagner‘s record of 1,196 strikeouts, continuing to build his case for induction into the Series Cooperstown Hall of Fame when he decides to end his career.

“I went there without a doubt knowing I was two strikeouts away from tying or breaking the record,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “Yes, I tried to achieve that today,” he added, according to ESPN.

Currently, the Cuban flamethrower has 49 strikeouts and a pair of saves this season, bringing his total to 323 – just one shy of Huston Street for 20th place all-time since this statistic became official in 1969.

After winning the last World Series with the Texas RangersChapman signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract to defend the Pittsburgh team and prove he still possesses that almost unparalleled power at driving the ball to home plate in the MLB. It is worth noting that in 2023 the Cuban officially received the certificate that accredited him as the holder of the Guinness World Record for the fastest pitch in baseball history: 175.8 miles per hour (mph), achieved in 2010.