TODAY: Chafin has officially declined his option.
NOVEMBER 2: Tigers reliever Andrew Chafin will decline his $6.5MM player option for 2023, reports Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press. He’ll hit the open market five days after the World Series concludes in search of a new multi-year pact.
It’ll be the third consecutive offseason in which the southpaw is available in free agency. After a lengthy stint with the Diamondbacks to begin his career, Chafin was dealt to the Cubs at the 2020 deadline before hitting the open market for the first time. He re-signed with Chicago on a one-year deal the following offseason, then hit the market last winter. That came on the heels of a sparkling 2.83 ERA showing through 68 2/3 frames with the Cubs and A’s which positioned him alongside Aaron Loup and Brooks Raley as the top lefty relievers available. Chafin wound up inking a two-year, $13MM guarantee with the Tigers that allowed him to opt out after his first season.
In a Detroit offseason largely defined by misfires, the Chafin deal marked a stellar pickup. It was never likely he’d manage to replicate a sub-2.00 ERA, but this year’s 2.83 mark across 57 1/3 innings was again excellent. He posted unanimously strong peripherals as well, striking out 27.6% of batters faced and racking up grounders on a bit more than half the batted balls he allowed. For a second straight season, he walked under 8% of opponents, a lower than average mark and a welcome development after some control inconsistency earlier in his career.
Chafin wasn’t quite as dominant against southpaws this past season as he’d been in 2021. After holding lefties to a .170/.250/.223 slash last year, he allowed a .233/.320/.344 mark to them in Detroit. That’s still quite strong overall, and unlike many lefty relievers, Chafin hasn’t been prone to drastic platoon splits. Opposing righties mustered just a .214/.268/.317 line against him, and he fanned almost 27% of right-handed batters for a second straight season.
With that kind of performance, it’s no surprise the Meister Sports Management client believes he’ll top the remaining $6.5MM on his contract. Still, there was some intrigue about his decision, largely due to Detroit’s relative proximity to his Ohio home. That reportedly played a role in his decision to sign with the Tigers, and it was seemingly a factor in the team’s decision-making at this past trade deadline. With Detroit long since out of contention by the end of July, Chafin was a reasonable trade candidate. However, the Tigers didn’t find an offer to their liking, and Petzold has reported the front office didn’t feel pressured to take just any return out of a belief Chafin could trigger his player option to stay in Detroit.
That obviously won’t be the case, and while it stands to reason he’d welcome a return to the Tigers on a new free agent deal, it appears less likely the team would want to top the market for his services. Former GM Al Avila was dismissed midseason and replaced by president of baseball operations Scott Harris, who’s now tasked with overseeing a roster that has a number of injury questions in the starting rotation and players coming off down years all around the diamond. Harris and his staff should have a fair bit of financial breathing room this winter, but it’s unlikely they’ll prioritize adding to the bullpen.
Chafin will be one of the top left-handed relievers on the market. He’s headed into his age-33 season, which could prevent him from finding a three-year deal, but he should at least find strong two-year offers from teams. It’s a generally weak left-handed bullpen class, with Taylor Rogers and Matt Strahm among the other top options available.
As expected. Chafin can get a better contract as a free agent, even if the annual salary isn’t any higher.
Jonathan Schoop has a player option also, but after the season he had, he won’t be opting out.
LH relief pitchers are more in demand that ever. Heck, with all his issues there will be a bidding war for Chapman.
It’s also a lot more fun to be playing for a contender of your choice. Not staying with a non-contender and waiting to see who you get traded to in-season.
I think Schoop already exercised his option.
Does he have any trade value? I could see a team without a ton of money to spend trading for him (lottery ticket prospect), assuming DET eats a good chunk of the salary—hoping the glove and occasional HR hold up. Thinking a team like the Brewers or ChiSox.
Chafin should be an excellent pickup to steady the Giants bullpen. Whether they’ll go three years is a different question, especially as Chafin turns 33 next June. But he’d make SF’s bullpen so much stronger.
Of course he did.
Dude is off in his camper van. Godspeed son of Rod Beck. Or Nick Nolte in Rookie of the Year.
Choice made easier as the organization is not going anywhere anytime soon.
That was my first thought. Not about the money as much about wanting to play for a team who has a chance to make the playoffs
That and having to live in Detroit. Even the Red Wings nod along and sing to the Detroit sucks chants when they swell up from the rafters.
He’ll be asking for the type of long term contract Darren O’Day got.
Is the first few hours of Darren O’Day Top of O’Morning?
He will be back
Thought I read he wanted to stay in the Midwest. But money talks.
His family lives right down the road in Ohio
Back to Phoenix ; 3/15.
Chafin is one of the best available LH relievers and deserves to get paid. Anyway, the Tigers should have traded him at the deadline.
Gruß,
BSHH
@BSHH
The Tigers had an effective Lefty reliever that had indicated he was likely to opt in, because he liked the team and the location, under Avila. So why would he trade him? Likely due to the changing of the guard, he opted out. Hopefully, Harris will sign him to a new contract. As to him deserving to be paid, Detroit offered him more than any other team. Why do you have to imply they were being cheap with him?
Should have? Do you know if any teams offered the Tigers anything reasonable for him? Takes two to tango.
Lefty relievers are always in demand at the deadline. Wasn’t going to be huge but clearly the Tigers weren’t going anywhere last season.
There were certainly offers. Mets off the top of my head had interest. Fulmer was able to notch a player of some value. Chafin is a better pitcher who is left-handed and had the possible second year. I’m sure someone offered a package just as good as Sawyer Gipson-Long, anything would be better than nothing. As we are just gonna lose him for nothing now.
Chafin would look good as a member of Los Bomberos
Cubs pick him up again. He was a perfect fit.
why did the cubs not resign him after the year he had with them? too much money for a rebuilding team?
Pretty much exactly what it was I think. He was great with the Cubs, they should pick him up, they need him.
Yeah exactly what I was thinking too. Hopefully cubs can get him for around 2 years and $15m. Would probably be worth it. He’s a great fit with the organization, his teammates, and the fans.
Won’t get 15 for 2
Why? Loup got 2/17 and only had one real good year.
Perfect replacement for Brad Hand tbh.
I think so too. Although, I’d like to see him as an Astros
Talk to the Hand.
The Mets will be all over him is sign
That’s what we thought last year. He would have made a huge difference this year.
I don’t blame him for leaving, but the Tigers should have traded him.
Not with an incompetent GM at the time.
Not surprised. He had a good year so he should be looking to get more money and more years. He liked his time in Detroit and it is not far from his Ohio home, so would not rule out him returning to Detroit. But suspect a contending team will pony up and sign him.
Welcome to the Mets Mr. Chafin
I hope so jvent.
He was loved as a Cub and I’d love to see him back…
If Detroit wanted to keep him, they can still tender him a qualifying offer. He *might* top $19m over a 3 or 4 year contract but he would be a fool not to take that on a one year deal. They don’t have much else in terms of contracts on the books, and they could view it as an investment in getting either a draft pick if he declines, or maybe some prospects in a trade if he stays.
I’m not saying they should, but it is an option.
Nope. That’s too much for 1 year.
No one is paying $19 million in hopes of a comp pick or a lottery ticket low minor leaguer, which is what a 2 month rental of a non closer LHRP would get.
Can’t believe someone would think this is even possible.
The Dodgers are cutting a former MVP instead of pay him 18m, even in a down year he hit 17 HR and stole 14 bases while playing top notch D in center…but 19m for a setup guy.
Ok….wow.
They don’t need to offer him a QO if they want to keep him for $19MM and bank on some future prospects. Just give him that on a 3 year basis and there is probably a really good chance Chafin will take it and is even more tradable than with a QO.
Come to Seattle! Great chowder and we have a retractable roof!
Cleveland. He wants to stay in Ohio.
Makes sense. Guards need another lefty—should be able to take on 7MM per if he’ll sign for 2 years.
He’d just be wasted in Detroit.
The Tigers looked like a team with promise at the end of 2021. That was a mirage. Chafin will find a team in the midwest that has a much better chance of making the playoffs and he will make quite a bit more money than $6.5 mil. There are a lot of good teams looking to add to their pen and Chafin would do well with them.
If the Tigers wanted him to stay, they probably should have made some 3 year offers after the season ended. That may be why they picked up Guenther.
I’m guessing it was 2022 that was the mirage. Hoping to see this team healthy, and with new hitting instructors.
Mets.
Words.
Chafin always rubbed me the wrong way…
Try baby powder?
So ends Tigers world series hopes in 2023
Give it til New Years before stating that out loud.
What? Who wouldn’t want to play for the DEEEtroit Tigers?
Not many.
He’s clearly aware this might be his last best chance at a multi-year market rate contract, so he’s aiming for more years at a slightly lower AAV. Trade 1 year/$6.5M for 2 years/$11.5M or 3 years/$17.1M or something like that, I would imagine.
Sounds crazy but the Dude likes to live on boats. He will seek a place where he can continue to do so. That was one of his criteria before signing with the Tigers
Come back to the Cubs. They are just mediocre now instead of putrid, and you seemed to enjoy playing there last time.
Well, it’s 9 am Central time, still no moves from Harris…….
Why? A bazillion things should have been lined up,ready to go…..
We are taking it easy in him…..
Heck…he even got.an extra hour with Daylight saving time…..
And still…..
Nothing.
9 am and counting.
Billy eppler on line 1
Mariners!
He will be a Met by Friday
Indians or Twins will grab this guy!