The Yankees have curiosity in Andrew Chafin, experiences Jon Heyman of the New York Submit. New York is in search of a left-handed bullpen arm. Heyman reported earlier this week {that a} reunion with Tim Hill was additionally a risk.
Each gamers are pure targets for a group that doesn’t have a single left-hander in its projected bullpen. The Yankees solely have two left-handed pitchers on their 40-man roster: Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. New York has but so as to add an skilled southpaw on a minor league contract both, in order that they’ll in all probability search for a number of lefties over the approaching weeks.
Chafin, 34, has been a sturdy and customarily dependable center innings arm for a decade. He’s coming off one other respectable season, handing over a 3.51 earned run common throughout 56 1/3 innings between the Tigers and Rangers. A lot of the positives got here throughout his first few months in Detroit, nonetheless. Chafin carried a 3.16 ERA with a near-31% strikeout fee into late July. Issues went downhill after a deadline deal sending him to Texas. He allowed a 4.19 ERA with the Rangers. His strikeout fee fell to 24% whereas his stroll share almost doubled to an untenable 17.9% clip.
Whereas it wasn’t an ideal end, Chafin has an prolonged observe document. Regardless of middling velocity, he has fanned round 28% of batters confronted in three straight years. He missed bats on an enormous 15.4% of his pitches this yr — the second-highest fee of his profession. Chafin has walked greater than 12% of opponents in consecutive seasons, reflecting command that comes and goes. He can deal with hitters of both handedness, although, so he shouldn’t have a problem discovering one other large league contract. Chafin has been a bullpen workhorse, topping 50 innings in seven of the final eight full seasons. (He threw 49 1/3 frames in 2018.) His solely injured listing stint within the final 4 years was a two-week keep in April ’22 for a groin pressure.
Chafin has signed one-year contracts — respectively valued at $6.25MM and $4.75MM — within the final two winters. Texas declined a $6.5MM membership choice initially of the offseason. Chafin might be restricted to 1 yr and will land a base wage within the $3-5MM vary.
