Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Aroldis Chapman has had such a tough season that he lost his cool when he thought he gave up a home run on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park.
Only he actually didn’t.
Chapman, who entered the game in the eighth inning trying to preserve a one-run lead, began the frame by walking Shohei Ohtani.
He then struck out Freddie Freeman, but walked Will Smith, setting up a first and second situation for Teoscar Hernandez.
Chapman appeared to hang a flat curveball to Teoscar Hernandez who hit a long fly ball to deep center field, and the former Yankees closer immediately threw his glove on the ground, thinking he gave up the go-ahead three-run homer.
But Chapman’s frustrated display proved to be incorrect as Jack Suwinski, who also hit the game-winning solo homer for Pittsburgh, caught the long fly in the front part of the warning track as Ohtani went to third base.
Chapman, who had picked his glove up, was still frustrated, punching his fist into the glove after the play.
But Chapman — who was the Yankees’ closer from the second half of 2016 to 2022 and is now a setup man for the Pirates — regained his composure and struck out Andy Pages, who pinch it for Jayson Heyward to end the inning.
When Chapman entered the dugout he received some playful grief from teammate Andrew McCutchen who playfully threw his glove on the bench, drawing a laugh and getting a hug from the veteran reliever.
Pirates closer David Bednar retired the Dodgers in order in the ninth to secure a 1-0 win for the Pirates to pick up his 12th save, and Chapman picked up his 11th hold. Rookie Jared Jones pitched six shutout inning to pick up his fourth victory.
It has been a rocky season for the veteran Chapman, who has 322 saves in his 15-year career.
The 36-year-old reliever has a 4.43 ERA and already has given up four homers in 20 1/3 innings pitched.
That could be a reason why Chapman, who has one save this season, was so sure he had given up another long ball.
But on this night, he was given a reprieve.