The Tigers announced Thursday that they’ve placed left-hander Andrew Chafin on the restricted list in advance of the team’s upcoming road series in Toronto. Right-hander Bryan Garcia has has his contract selected from Triple-A Toledo and been designated as a Covid-related replacement player for Chafin (meaning he can be removed from the 40-man roster and sent back to Toledo without needing to first pass through waivers).
Chafin, 32, has been one of the best relievers in a quietly solid Tigers bullpen this season, pitching to a 2.53 ERA with a 29.3% strikeout rate, a 7.5% walk rate and a 49.4% ground-ball rate. He’s playing the current season on a $5.5MM salary and has a $6.5MM player option for the 2023 season that, barring an injury or unexpected collapse, he seems likely to reject in favor of a return to free agency (and another, potentially more lucrative multi-year deal).
The majority of Major League teams have had to place at least one player on the restricted list in advance of series in Toronto this season, as unvaccinated professional athletes are prohibited from entering Canada to participate in their teams’ games. (The U.S., it should be pointed out, has a similar policy.) Other teams may well consider Chafin’s status when weighing potential trades over the next few days, though as we saw with the Yankees’ acquisition of Andrew Benintendi last night, it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker — even for teams in the American League East.
Taking Chafin’s place on the Tigers’ roster for the next few days, at least, will be the 27-year-old Garcia, who has pitched to a 2.90 ERA through 40 1/3 innings in Toledo so far. Garcia logged time with the Tigers in each of the past three seasons but has limped to a 6.12 ERA through 67 2/3 big league frames, due largely to a pedestrian strikeout rate (16%), lofty walk rate (12.6%) and penchant for serving up home runs (1.46 HR/9).
Depending on how Garcia fares, this could be viewed as yet another audition for him. Chafin, Michael Fulmer, Joe Jimenez and Alex Lange are among the Tigers relievers who’ve commanded trade interest with the Aug. 2 trade deadline approaching. At the very least, it seems fair to expect Fulmer and Chafin to be on the move in the coming days, as both can be free agents at season’s end. Jimenez, controlled through the 2023 season via arbitration, has a decent chance as well. Lange (five seasons of remaining club control) and closer Gregory Soto (three seasons) would surely require larger returns.
Not surprisingly solid. They were solid last year, too.
Correct, Troy, but this year they are trotting out two full crews of relievers totaling 6-8 guys who are all solid, not like last year when it was Funkhouser, Cisnero, Fulmer, and Soto.
If these were elite high profile players, I would assume that signing them to an extension would be unlikely, but these two are set up relievers, and Fullmer has been in Detroit his entire MLB time. Why is extending them never mentioned as a possibility? If the Tigers trade Chaffin, they will be needing a LHR. Since they already have a good one, extend him. Its not like their up against the CBT. Nor is either one going to break the bank.
And they will not get anything better in a trade. I agree keep both Fullmer & Chafin.
I’d say keep them both IF they sign an extention now. Cannot gamble and wait til the off-season and take the chance of getting nothing for them (like we got nothing for Max Scherzer).
@TroyVan
Nothing is just as good as a minor leaguer who will never amount to anything. The Tigers have too many of them in AAA right now.
What will the Tigers do with Baddoo, Hill, Cameran, Reyes and I hear of others knocking on the door too in the outfield. They have to start trading some of these guys or eventually let them go.
Then they have both Castro’s, Clemens & Short.
The team does not need to trade for more players like these. They do nothing to improve the team. Keep our relief pitchers extend them and go for next year.
I hope Avila will only make a trade to improve the team, not just pickup some long-term gamble.
If he wants to trade for nobodies, trade from the names above.
Al knows nothing about building a team. He only knows how to tear down and make opposing teams better and getting fleeced on trades. FIRE AL! And, Daddy’s boy needs to sell the team to someone that WANTS to win and knows what they’re doing and who to hire!
I wish Avila would trade himself away.
It’s the Tigers…
Not Jimenez. First time he’s had an ERA under 4 or a reasonable WHIP. Tigers need to unload him ASAP.
Unfortunately Avila will be making the trade so he’ll screw it up anyway…
AA should not
Be allowed to make any more trades or FA signings or drafts.
I wondered why the Jays weren’t in on him – turns out he wouldn’t have been allowed across the border into the US to play after playing in Canada.
Hi Steve,
Can you fix the sentence, you put ‘has’ twice? Please & thank you!
Right-hander Bryan Garcia ‘has has’ his contract selected from Triple-A Toledo
Has had
Is there a vaccine for “editoritis”?
Anti vaxxxer alert!! Look out !!! The vax is in his mustache !
Bryan Garcia turned into a multiple-innings guy in Toledo. That is exactly what the Tigers need with their depleted rotation. He was luckier during the last years with his limited stuff, but he could indeed find his way back onto the roster now.
Generally, I absolutely appreciate the oversight the MLBTR writers have far beyond each team’s roster. This site is always worth a look!
Gruß,
BSHH
Well, I was wanting the Tigers to try to push to keep him, but at this point get rid of him. Don’t need him.
Gonna miss Chafin. Reliable bullpen arm with unique energy. He is as good as gone due to his contract status. Hope the Tigers get equitable return for him.
Man, heavy people like Chafin really should consider getting vaxed. It’s a fact that fatter people tend to suffer more severe consequences from the vid
Lange was a 1st round pick by the Cubs in 2017, traded to the Tigers in the Castellanos deal.
And, … keep him! Four more years of control. He’s been lights out!!
Common Chafin W
Beam me up Scotty. No sign of intelligent life on this planet.
I bet a lot of these unvaxxed players would get the poke if they knew they were going to a contender. Almost no incentive to care about it if you’re stuck in KC or some other bottom tier team.
I think you’re right but then what happened to those players “standing up for their beliefs” if that’s true? If you choose not to get the vaccine then that’s your decision whether it’s right or not, but stick to it. I’m not arguing the validity of either belief, but it seems weak to sell everything you “believe in” just to go to a team that’ll win a few more games.
Chafin looks like someone who might want to consider getting vax’d. Perhaps he will as Benintendi did.
Billions of people have taken the vaccine. At what point can we remove “experimental”?
Kind of surprised only one dope on the tigers
Dope meant cool back in the day. I’ll assume that’s what you meant.
How long are MLB and especially the basball writers going to pretend this isn’t a thing.
It is a disgrace that Toronto has this kind of an advantage in the middle of a playoff hunt. If they make the playoffs, there will absolutely be an asterisk attached and God forbid if they advance at all in the playoffs.
Politics aside, there is absolutely zero justification for this, either medically or morally.
MLB needs to step in and force the Blue Jays to play playoff games in the US if their country can;t get it’s sh-t together.