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The Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman has become one of the most surprising stories of the 2025 season. The 36-year-old reliever, once written off as past his prime, has put together one of his strongest campaigns in years. His fastball velocity sits back in the upper-90s. His slider carries a sharp bite. He has dominated in high-leverage situations and kept hitters off balance. Yet Chapman found himself in the spotlight this week for reasons that had nothing to do with his pitching.
The spark came from a story ESPN insider Buster Olney shared earlier this month. Olney reported that Chapman said using PitchCom—a device that relays pitch calls from catcher to pitcher through an earpiece—changed his mindset. According to Olney, Chapman claimed he had “never thought about spotting his fastball” and simply “threw it to home plate.”
Jimmy O’Brien, known online as Jomboy, didn’t buy it. The Jomboy Media creator, whose breakdown videos have turned him into one of the sport’s most recognizable digital voices, called the statement unbelievable. “I just don’t believe that a big league pitcher, especially someone like Chapman, who’s been around forever, would never once think about locating his fastball,” O’Brien said in a video posted Tuesday. He even called the story a “prank of an update” and a “goof.”
The clip spread across social media within hours. Fans weren’t just intrigued by the quote but also by how directly O’Brien challenged one of baseball’s most established insiders.
Boone Pulled Into the Debate
O’Brien then took his skepticism to Yankees manager Aaron Boone. During the interview, Boone appeared caught off guard, but later admitted that it seemed far-fetched that Chapman had never considered the location. That acknowledgment only strengthened O’Brien’s position. To him, the debate wasn’t about Olney’s integrity. It was about whether Chapman’s words made sense.
Olney Fires Back
Olney, however, didn’t let the critique slide. He argued that O’Brien’s comments suggested he and colleague Eduardo Pérez had been duped. To Olney, that implied naivety and poor judgment. The veteran reporter bristled at the idea, saying it questioned his credibility. For someone who has spent decades earning trust in clubhouses, the accusation struck a nerve.
O’Brien quickly responded. He said he respected Olney and valued his work, but could not take the quote literally. “I respect his work,” O’Brien said. “I just can’t wrap my head around Chapman saying that and meaning it literally.”
Internet Reaction
The internet did the rest. Baseball Twitter erupted with debates over who carried the stronger argument. Some agreed with O’Brien and pointed to a 2019 clip he resurfaced. In it, Chapman shook off an inside fastball call and accepted an outside fastball instead, clear proof of pitch location strategy. Others sided with Olney, noting that players often exaggerate in interviews. Reporters, they argued, exist to share quotes, not parse their accuracy.
Chapman likely meant his comment as a lighthearted take on how PitchCom simplified decisions. Instead, it created one of the week’s biggest storylines. For once, his fastball didn’t grab attention. His words ignited a digital feud between Jomboy and Buster Olney, which dominated baseball conversations far from the field.
Alvin Garcia Born in Puerto Rico, Alvin Garcia is a sports writer for Heavy.com who focuses on MLB. His work has appeared on FanSided, LWOS, NewsBreak, Athlon Sports, and Yardbarker, covering mostly MLB. More about Alvin Garcia
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