Comparing Aroldis Chapman to some of the greatest relievers of all time
Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman became the fastest pitcher to reach 500 strikeouts, reaching the achievement in just 292.0 innings pitched. The previous mark was held by San Diego Padres closer Craig Kimbrel, who got to 500 in 305 IP.
Chapman is also one of the fastest-throwing pitchers in baseball, with his average fastball velocity a full 1.5 mph faster than any other pitcher.
Top relievers in 2015 in average fastball velocity
| Fastball Velocity (mph) | |
| Aroldis Chapman, Reds | 99.7 |
| Arquimedes Caminero, Pirates | 98.2 |
| Kelvin Herrera, Royals | 98.0 |
| Trevor Rosenthal, Cardinals | 97.5 |
| Craig Kimbrel, Padres | 97.5 |
Chapman's average fastball velocity over his career is also the fastest all-time -- 0.1 mph faster than former Tigers' closer Joel Zumaya.
All-Time top relievers in average fastball velocity
| Fastball Velocity (MPG) | |
| Aroldis Chapman, Reds | 98.6 |
| Joel Zumaya, Tigers | 98.5 |
| Kelvin Herrera, Royals | 98.2 |
| Henry Rodriguez, Athletics/Nationals | 98.0 |
| Nate Jones, White Sox | 97.6 |
As a reliever, Chapman has put himself in elite company being the fastest to 500 strikeouts, and if he keep up his current pace he could place himself among the best relievers of all time. Here's how Chapman stacks up against the best:
Comparing Chapman to the best relievers in baseball
| IP | ERA | K/9 | |
| Aroldis Chapman, Reds | 292.0 | 2.22 | 15.41 |
| Mariano Rivera, Yankees | 1233.2 | 2.06 | 8.28 |
| Trevor Hoffman, Padres/Brewers | 1089.1 | 2.87 | 9.36 |
| Goose Gossage, Yankees/Padres | 1578.0 | 2.86 | 7.85 |
| Rollie Fingers, Athletics/Padres | 1553.1 | 2.84 | 7.07 |
| Lee Smith, Cubs/Cardinals | 1252.1 | 2.98 | 8.80 |
And here's how some of the best relievers compare to Chapman through the same approximate number of innings pitched:
Comparing Chapman to some of the best relievers in baseball through 292.0 IP
| IP | ERA | K/9 | |
| Aroldis Chapman, Reds | 292.0 | 2.22 | 15.41 |
| Mariano Rivera, Yankees | 291.2 | 2.72 | 8.45 |
| Trevor Hoffman, Padres | 291.2 | 3.18 | 9.72 |
| Billy Wagner, Astros/Phillies | 291.2 | 2.78 | 13.42 |
| Robb Nen, Marlins/Giants | 291.1 | 3.63 | 9.14 |
Finally, let's compare Chapman and the above relievers in terms of saves through about 292.0 IP (Rivera began his career as a starting pitcher before moving to the bullpen):
Comparing Chapman to some of the best relievers in baseball
| IP | Saves | |
| Aroldis Chapman, Reds | 292.0 | 131 |
| Mariano Rivera, Yankees | 291.2 | 80 |
| Trevor Hoffman, Padres | 292.2 | 99 |
| Billy Wagner, Astros/Phillies | 292.2 | 112 |
| Robb Nen, Marlins/Giants | 292.1 | 90 |