5:05pm: Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports that Chafin will make $2.5MM if he cracks the roster. There’s also $1.5MM available via incentives and a $250K assignment bonus if he is traded.
4:00pm: The Tigers announced that they have signed left-hander Andrew Chafin to a minor league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training. The southpaw is a client of Meister Sports Management.
Chafin, 35 in June, has spent over a decade as an effective lefty reliever. That includes a couple of previous stints with Detroit. He was with the Tigers for the entire 2022 season, posting a 2.83 earned run average. Last year, he had a 3.16 ERA in 37 innings for the Tigers before being traded to the Rangers at the deadline. His results with Texas weren’t quite as strong, so he finished the year with a 3.51 ERA overall.
His profile has changed over his career, as he was previously a strong ground ball guy but has moved more towards strikeouts in more recent seasons. From 2014 to 2022, Chafin tossed 400 2/3 major league innings with a 3.23 ERA, 25.2% strikeout rate, 9.3% walk rate and 50.9% ground ball rate. His pitch mix consisted of 26.6% fastballs, 39.6% sinkers, 32.8% sliders and 1% changeups.
Over the past two seasons, he has bumped the slider usage to 40.6%, mostly at the expense of his fastball, which has been used just 18.3% of the time. That’s led to a 4.10 ERA, 28.3% strikeout rate, 12.6% walk rate and 37.2% ground ball rate.
Though Chafin has been solid and consistent on the whole, he hasn’t been viewed kindly by the open market. In the past seven full seasons, he has logged at least 49 innings, only once posting an ERA higher than 3.76.
He first became a free agent after a rough showing in the shortened 2020 season, spending most of it on the injured list and tossing just 9 2/3 innings. That led to a one-year, $2.8MM deal with the Cubs for 2021. Chafin posted a 1.83 ERA that year and secured a two-year, $13MM deal with Detroit going into 2022, with the second year being a player option.
After posting a 2.83 ERA in 2022, he declined his $6.5MM player option to take another shot at free agency. That didn’t lead to much extra earning power, as he landed a one-year, $6.3MM deal with the Diamondbacks, plus $1MM of incentives. Last winter, another one-year deal was his result, getting a $4.8MM guarantee from the Tigers. This time around, despite a solid campaign, he’s had to settle for a minor league pact.
The Tigers have Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter and Sean Guenther as lefty relievers on the roster. Holton should have a big league job locked down but Guenther has just 41 1/3 innings in the majors with a 5.01 ERA. Hurter just made his MLB debut last year and is also in the rotation mix, so the club might prefer to have him as a frequently-optioned multi-inning guy/depth starter.
If Chafin looks like his old self in camp, he could perhaps get a job as the second lefty in the bullpen alongside Holton. If not, he’ll have chances to look elsewhere. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, Article XX(b) free agents get guaranteed opt-out chances on minor league deals if they are signed more than ten days prior to Opening Day. An Article XX(b) free agent is one with six years of service who finished the previous season on a 40-man roster or 60-day injured list. Those opt-out chances are five days prior to Opening Day, May 1st and June 1st.
Let’s see if they’ll trade him at the deadline for prospects for a third time
Actually he opted out of a second year the first time they signed him. They’ve only traded him once. With the opt outs, chances are if he isn’t getting the job done for Detroit he’ll opt out rather than hang around to be traded.
Really surprised that Chafin couldn’t find a guaranteed deal this offseason. He’ll probably only make $2M if he makes the Tiger’s roster too. Could be a very good signing for them.
What’s the knock against this guy? His numbers look good I don’t get it
I don’t get it either. I’ve wanted the Cubs to add him. Total mystery to me.
Guy never seems to find a deal before camp. But he always seems to get the job done. As far as why he’s not a Cub it’s because why sign Chafin for real money when you can pay a complete waste like Thielbar 2 million to stink? Jed’s bullpen misses have been prolific over the years. He’s finally going the sign 50 guys and hope 8 work out model. I gotta admit it looks like the Cubs have found a steal in Keller. he’s really impressed me so far.
Well, as long as he’s impressed you. That’s what’s really important.
Seriously? What bullpen “misses”?
Hoyer has actually done a solid job with his bullpen signings and claims. Last season was the one exception as Neris was horrible in high leverage situations but even with as bad as Neris was, Lopez and Miller were outstanding. I don’t see how you can find any fault with the Robertson signing (or flip) or the Chaffin deal.
Then to sit there and complain already about Thielbar but not mention Presley as a positive is embarrassingly bias. My complaint right now so far is their line up is thin, they should have never traded for Tucker at the expense of both Bellinger and Paredes), their rotation isn’t that good and they have too many relievers without options.
I’m going on record, 87 wins, likely win the division but a first round playoff exit.
Well keeping Alzolay as the only Closer last year, Signing Neris for 2 years and cutting him loose before the first one is over. Letting Estrada go for nothing. Losing Arias for nothing. Signing Thielbar and actually playing him over Little is stupid. That’s just the last 2 years. Panone was getting it done in Iowa and never even got a call up when the bullpen was getting pounded last year. I could go on but it’s no secret Jed has more bullpen misses than hits and the hits he did make were traded away for prospects he never has any intention of ever playing when he can spend money on FA’s. He’s a disaster IMO. You love him if you want, I think he sucks. And so does his Mini Me Hawkins.
In fact my biggest fear right now is that Ricketts gets smart and fires Hoyer and promotes that Dummy Hawkins to take his spot. What this Team needs is a complete philosophy change at the top while keeping all the lower management people in place who are doing a great job. The Scouting staff and draft people who are hitting all up and down the draft. What’s needed is a POBO who has a plan and sticks to it, Knows how to work the prospects in and most of all stops wasting money on FA’s they don’t need when they have in house options. You wanna know why they have no pitchers with options? Because they keep signing bad FA’s with no options. He wasted 20 million alone on Boyd and Rea when they weren’t really needed. Sorry Tigers fans for going off on a rant in a Tiger article. LOL
They have not gained 10games worth on mil..
Really confusing considering he was worth prospects at last year’s deadline. Maybe informally blackballed cause of something he said about owners? That got some of the A’s sent to the minors.
Right, he’s better than Brebbia
I agree. Crazy he didn’t get signed before now. Probably a minor league deal so they don’t have to fudge the 40 man roster.
Yea, feel pretty certain he’ll break camp but minor deal for now until someone hits a 60 day dl or something
Look back over the past three seasons. He’s only performed well for Detroit. But the numbers have been really solid. I love this signing!
Yeah. This could pay off huge.
He started off well with Arizona in 2023 but he was overused. He had the most appearances in MLB for the first few months as he was the only reliable piece in their bullpen at the beginning of the season. Then he started slipping from overuse and they traded him to the Brewers (for another guy who was being overused as well).
601 games, 508 innings.
Chafing. Isn’t that what happens to Fat Tigger fans when they’ve been sitting in the sun all afternoon.
He’s an all timer. Still living the dream, sleeping in his truck? He was hilarious in the Tiger bullpen, interacting with fans when they visited the South Side of Chicago. When asked about his truck, he guffawed, then returned with candy since he said the fans were acting like children. The game needs more Chafins.
His nickname is “The Sheriff”. Man has aura like Joey Gallo has strikeouts.
The Sheriff?? That was Norm Charleton’s nickname.
guffawed? Where’d you dig up that word?
You thought it meant something else, didn’t you?
Great signing. You can never have too much pitching and the Tigers are taking this theory to the limit. Their Toledo pitching staff may be better than a few MLB team’s staff at the rate they’re going. Will be an interesting year. Let’s go Tigers and Bless You Boys!!!
He was a loogy that would still thrive in that role, if it existed.
His career platoon splits are very strong both ways, only slightly better against lefties.
He likes Detroit. Close to his family and farm he owns in Ohio. Don’t know if he’s interested in Toledo. He could hang around there until he’s needed in the Big D.
Absolutely love this signing! He has always been effective and is a great clubhouse guy. Me and my buddy had seats next to the bullpen a few years ago and we were talking with him. He took half a pouch of Red Man and half a pouch of Big League Chew and put it in his mouth and was chewing it. I asked him if that was any good (I dip tobacco) and he said I had to try it. He gave me the remaining pouches and I did try it. Was actually pretty dam good! He talked to us for a few innings then actually pitched a 1-2-3 8th inning. Was a good day at the Ole ball park.
Great story.
That is awesome.
Really good signing for the price/investment. Why not?
Chafin rocks! Living in his RV in the parking lot again. Tell me him and Rogers don’t form the best mustache battery in baseball! No way he doesn’t make the team.
Of course he’ll make the team. Simply a minor league contract until they settle final rosters for Opening Day.
Good signing.
@lordD. Some of these minor league deals probably have incentives the player feels like he can reach. Also could have a opt out so if he doesn’t make the team he’s ready for the season.
Good signing, but my attention is currently on the Parker Meadows situation.
How was this guy not in the Yankees budget??
If Parker is hurt it’s scary to think they might use Greene at CF. Great way for him to get hurt too. Maybe Vierling and Perez cover if he goes on the IL?
Yep. This is probably the only way Perez makes the team sadly. Vierling would shift to CF and Perez would play RF. I doubt Greene plays more than a few innings at CF this year if any.
Omfg, what happened? I haven’t read or heard about anything with him so far. And if he is hurt, I think it’ll be Perez too.
Tweaked bicep
This is an under the table promise of a major league deal, so a minor deal isn’t crazy. Just gives the team some flexibility.
Also, cool his wife bakes bread for all the guys in the clubhouse.
Farm Boy livin’ in a van down by the river like he’s Rod Beck, looking like a short Rick Reuschel with a Doug Jones mustache, a lefty dinosaur surviving post-LOOGY – I figured him for an easy $5M guarantee.
Bad figuring.
Undeterred, I further figure he will make Detroit’s roster and gets ‘em out. Here’s hoping that is good figuring since I do enjoy a vintage off-brand that keeps on getting it done.
@sergefunction. Thought 5 million was his price as well. Could just come down to he likes Detroit and has family around the area.
I do know he originally signed with Detroit back in 2022 because they were near his farm (although so is Cleveland and Pittsburgh).
@rodbeck. Could just come down to them making the playoffs although Cleveland is about the same. The thing that’s working against Cleveland is they have a really strong pen.
He isn’t a LOOGY though. His career platoon splits are strong against both lefties and righties, only slightly stronger against lefties.
Great news for the Tigers. I have been hoping to read this post for the past month. He’s hilarious and often pitches well, too. He’ll break camp with the team and allow the Tigers to park one of their young arms in Toledo for another year of development.
Failed starter.