The White Sox were reportedly close to acquiring Aroldis Chapman before the Red Sox surged back into contention.
Shortly before the All-Star break, the Chicago White Sox were swept by the Boston Red Sox, an opponent that I predicted would come into the series with some momentum and hunger, given how dire their situation appeared to be ahead of the trade deadline.
Not only did that series cost the White Sox three games, but it also propelled Boston into its current winning streak, which sits at 15 games heading into Wednesday night's matchup with the Baltimore Orioles.
Chicago has bounced back just fine. The White Sox swept the Athletics to close out the first half, then took a series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Prior to a rubber match with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night, they have a 53-47 record, which is good for first place in the AL Central as we sit less than two weeks away from the MLB trade deadline.
However, some reports suggest the White Sox may have also cost themselves a future Hall of Fame relief pitcher in the process.
George Ofman, a longtime Chicago sports media personality who has been in the industry for more than 50 years, took to social media on Wednesday to share that the White Sox were “extremely close to acquiring Aroldis Chapman before the Red Sox went on their stunning win streak.”
Chapman has been one of the hottest names on the trade market, and for good reason. He was the AL Reliever of the Year in 2025, posting a 1.17 ERA for the Red Sox with 32 saves. In 2026, he made his second consecutive All-Star Game and has posted a 1.99 ERA with 22 saves, bringing his career total to 389.
That's 10th best all time and leaves him one save behind Dennis Eckersley on the all-time list.
Earlier this year, Chapman also passed Hoyt Wilhelm for the most strikeouts by a relief pitcher in MLB history. At this point, he has guaranteed himself a future spot in Cooperstown.
And at 38 years old, Chapman is now seeking his third career World Series ring. Twice before, he has been traded midseason to a team that would go on to win the World Series: the 2016 Chicago Cubs and the 2023 Texas Rangers. A high-leverage relief arm like Chapman is one of the best additions a wannabe contender can make. And after bullpen struggles plagued the White Sox throughout the first half of the season, it's no wonder Chapman has been heavily linked to them.
There's plenty of reason to doubt the report that the White Sox were closing in on a deal. Chris Cotillo, a respected Red Sox beat writer for MassLive.com, was quick to refute the claim that the Red Sox almost moved Chapman to Chicago. But it's a moot point now regardless, as Boston has climbed back into the AL playoff picture and is no longer expected to sell MLB assets.
Chicago's reported interest in Chapman could be a sign that the club will be proactive in addressing the bullpen via trade. White Sox fans may watch Chapman pitch for the rest of this year and think about what could have been, but there should still be ample opportunity for Chris Getz and Chicago's front office to bring in a high-end relief pitcher at the deadline.
