Aroldis Chapman has always been regarded as one of the most overpowering pitchers to ever set foot on a baseball diamond, but command hasn’t always been his calling card.

Yet early in spring training last year something clicked, and Chapman went on to enjoy one of the best seasons of his 17-year career.

Now, as Alex Cora tells it, the veteran left-hander looks every bit as dialed in as he did this time a year ago.

“You can see right now it wasn’t a fluke,” Cora told reporters in Fort Myers on Sunday. “Two bullpens he’s 20 out of 23 in the strike zone, 25 out of 30 in the strike zone.”

Over the course of his career Chapman has posted a 12.2% walk rate, which is significantly higher than the MLB average of 8.3%. He was well north of double digits over his prior four seasons, including a 14.7% mark during his lone season with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024.

But upon his arrival in Boston, Chapman made some adjustments and dramatically cut those numbers down. His 6.6% walk rate was by far the lowest of his career, and by constantly working in the zone he was able to post a 1.17 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings while holding opposing batters to a .132 average and .387 OPS.

He also recorded 32 saves on the year, and following the season Chapman was honored with the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award along with First Team All-MLB recognition.

Though Chapman was originally slated to hit free agency this past offseason and presumably could have cashed in with a huge deal, the lefty agreed to a one-year, $13.3 million extension last August that ensured he’d remain at the back of Boston’s bullpen in 2026.

“I’m glad we were able to get it done, and kudos to him, because he could have been like no I’ll go out there and see what happens, but he likes it here. He really does,” Cora said. “We treat him with respect but we ask him for a lot of things, and he’s been great.”

In addition to serving as the traditional closer, Chapman was also occasionally used in the eighth inning when circumstances demanded it, something made possibly by Garrett Whitlock’s emergence as an elite late-inning weapon. Cora said he’s open to using the two relievers similarly again this season, but as long as Chapman keeps throwing strikes, he’ll be set up for success no matter when he takes the mound.

“He’s in a great spot velocity-wise and throwing strikes, with him it was always about strike throwing, right?” Cora said. “If he can do that again he’ll have another great season.”