DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers announced that they have agreed to terms with lefthanded pitcher Andrew Chafin on a two-year contract.
Chafin, 31, emerged as one of the top relievers in baseball last season, combining to appear in 71 games between the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics and posting a career-best five saves, a 1.83 ERA (68.2IP/14ER) and 64 strikeouts. He ranked fifth among Major League relievers in ERA, while he was eighth in opponents OPS (.521) and 10th in opponents slugging percentage (.273). All four marks were the lowest of his career, along with his .154 opponents batting average.
Chafin has been one of the most durable relievers in baseball since 2017, as he is the only pitcher with 70-or-more appearances in each of the last four full seasons (2017-19, 21). Dating back to the 2017 season, Chafin has pitched in 311 games, which is the second most in the Majors, trailing only Yusmeiro Petit (318). In eight Major League seasons, Chafin has posted a 3.30 ERA (343.1IP/126ER) and 355 strikeouts.
Chafin, who resides in Navarre, Ohio, was originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks as a supplemental first round selection (43rd overall) in the 2011 MLB Draft. Chafin was signed by the Cubs as a free agent on February 5, 2021 and was later traded that season on July 26 to Oakland in exchange for Greg Deichmann and Daniel Palencia.
With Chafin’s signing, the Tigers 40-man roster is now at 39.
