Pirates' Chapman passes Wagner for most Ks by lefty reliever
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Aroldis Chapman put his name in the record books during Saturday's game against the Atlanta Braves.
Chapman struck out Braves catcher Sean Murphy in the bottom of the ninth inning, passing Billy Wagner for the most career strikeouts by a left-handed reliever with 1,197.
A strikeout for the history books. pic.twitter.com/9xkkZDSRwr
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 29, 2024
"For sure, I went out there knowing I was two strikeouts away from either tying the record or go ahead," Chapman said through a translator, according to Charles Odum of The Associated Press. "Yes, I was trying to get that today."
During his 15-year career, Chapman has been one of the most dominant left-handed relievers in MLB history. The 36-year-old is a seven-time All-Star, has 323 saves, and owns the second-highest K/9 in MLB history at 14.81.