Aroldis Chapman: The Reds Closer Shows Signs of Being Human After All

The Cincinnati Reds' super-human closer, Aroldis Chapman, is perfect no more.

Chapman gave up his first earned run of the season during the Reds' 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night.

The 24-year-old was making his 25th appearance on the season and had accumulated 29 innings of relief duty to that point. He had also allowed only seven hits with only one extra-base hit all year. Yet, somehow, the bottom of an anemic Pirates batting order mustered back-to-back doubles off the Cuban Missile that plated the one and only earned run he has allowed all season.

Aroldis Chapman has had perhaps one of, if not the best season of any relief pitcher ever through his team's first 56 games. Just look at these stats:

30 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 9/54 BB/K ratio, 4-1 record, 6 Saves, 6 Holds

Throw in that batters have a slash line of a paltry .090/.171/.130 and you begin to see how video-game-like his numbers are. Chapman has struck out 54 of a total 111 batters faced on the season and averages 16.20 K/9.

When looking at these numbers, you begin to understand why it seems even more improbable that two individuals named Clint Barmes and Michael McKenry with respective slash lines of .191/.213/.312 and .193/.277/.404 in 2012 would be the ones to break through the myth and legend of Aroldis Chapman.

I guess this is how David and Goliath plays out in baseball.