New York Post

CHAPMAN HITS 105.1 MPH!

- By HOWIE KUSSOY hkussoy@nypost.com

Aroldis Chapman’s time with the Yankees may not last even one full season, but the flame-throwing southpaw now holds a record that may be as untouchabl­e as any mark ever set by anyone to wear pinstripes.

Closing out Monday night’s 2-1 win against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium, Chapman tied his own major league record (2010) for the fastest recorded pitch in baseball history, clocking in at 105.1 mph.

“I took a peak at the board and noticed 105,” Chapman said through a translator. “I felt fine. I felt normal.”

Maybe it was normal to him, but to everyone else, the southpaw continues to amaze with a velocity that hasn’t been seen in the century-plus history of the sport.

“I duck down one step in the dugout when he is throwing,” manager Joe Girardi said. “His arm is so quick. I don’t know if I have seen an arm that quick. It’s pretty impressive.’’

All-Star setup man Andrew Miller was equally astonished at Chapman’s speed despite having watched his teammate up close for several months.

“He is incredible to watch,” Miller said. “Nobody comes close. He is such an outlier. I am glad he is on our team.’’

Pitching for the second straight day and third time in four games, Chapman entered in the ninth inning and induced a groundout from Pedro Alvarez.

Then, facing J.J. Hardy, Chapman opened the at-bat with back-toback 101-mph fastballs. The southpaw then slowed things down with a 93-mph slider, before firing three straight fastballs.

The first registered at 104 mph. The second hit 103. The third darted low and inside near Hardy’s leg, flashing a number on the radar seen only once before — from the same arm.

“It’s unbelievab­le what he does on the mound,” catcher Brian McCann said. “If you catch it right, you are fine, if you don’t, you are in trouble.”

Chapman nearly created trouble after t he re cord- s e tt i ng pitch, giving up a deep fly ball on a 91-mph slider to Hardy, which died on the warning track in left.

“I thought it was leaving, a home run,’’ Chapman admitted.

With two outs, Chapman put the tying run on base with a walk to Nolan Reimold, but retired Ryan Flaherty — on another pitch that hit 105 — for his 19th save of the season.

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