Boston's Aroldis Chapman sets MLB record for strikeouts as a reliever with his 1,364th K

Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox broke MLB's all-time strikeout record for relief pitchers on Friday night, earning his 1,364th career K to surpass Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm's 53-year-old mark. The 38-year-old left-hander, who has played for seven teams since defecting from Cuba in 2009, struck out the Angels' Denzer Guzman on a 98.6 mph pitch and went on to record his 383rd career save in Boston's 5-2 victory. Chapman has been in a strong stretch since joining the Red Sox, winning AL Reliever of the Year in 2025 and maintaining high-leverage performance this season.