Aroldis Chapman is easily one of the most untouchable closers in baseball. With 242 strikeouts in just 154 innings pitched, the left-hander is a dominant force, having yielded only five home runs during his career.
On Sunday, however, Chapman was less than his typical self, and it turns out his sweet tooth may be to blame.
According to CBS Philadelphia, Phillies Spanish-language broadcaster Rickie Ricardo (yes, that is his real name) brought Chapman two boxes of Cuban pastries. The treat is filled with cream cheese and guava, and Ricardo likens adulation of them — which he gets at an ethnic foods store near his home — to Krispy Kreme donuts here in America.
However, instead of going ahead with restraint, Chapman downed 18 of them right before the game. Later in the day, Chapman gave up back-to-back home runs Erik Kratz and Freddy Galvis, giving the Phillies a 3-2 win over Cincinnati, and prompting Ricardo to make the connection.
“When I saw him on Sunday morning before the game, he was in the club house, he had just eaten about 18 of them,” said Ricardo. “He couldn’t breathe! I looked at my partner, I said, ‘He’s ripe for the taking today.'”
So, there you have it. Even Superman has his kryptonite, and Chapman’s appears to be pastries of his homeland.
