As Aroldis Chapman’s average fastball velocity has steadily fallen from 101 mph in 2016 down to a (comparatively) measly 98 mph this past season, so too has his effectiveness. While he’s only regressed from the best reliever in the league to one of the best, he will continue becoming easier to hit as the pitch he throws almost three-quarters of the time slows down.
Still throwing cheddar at 32 years old, he likely (and correctly) considers himself among the game’s most dominant arms. However, as he nears his mid-thirties, the day when Chapman’s unable to overpower batters with the same regularity is probably closer than he, or Yankee fans, would like to imagine.