Andrew Chafin DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Detroit Tigers optioned outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin to Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday, according to the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold. Even with both Parker Meadows (arm) and Wenceel Perez (back) starting on the injured list, Malloy didn't survive final cuts out of camp despite hitting .314/.397/.373 with three doubles, six RBI and a stolen base in 21 Grapefruit League games this spring. Although the 25-year-old still has some power potential, he'll begin in the minors in 2025 and will merely be a bench bat for the Tigers whenever he returns to the majors. Chafin, 34, surprisingly won't open in Detroit's bullpen, even after Jason Foley was optioned to the minors. The veteran southpaw has 11 years of big-league experience, but he allowed eight earned runs while walking six and fanning nine in his six Grapefruit League innings in spring training.

Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Andrew Chafin is not guaranteed a place in the team's bullpen. Earlier this week, Chafin signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers to return to the Motor City for his third stint. However, manager A.J. Hinch said that he will be a part of the "open competition." Last season, Chafin split time with the Tigers and Texas Rangers. With the Tigers, he held a 3.16 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP across 37 innings of work. With Texas, he held a higher 4.19 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP across 19 1/3 innings. Chafin generated an elite 35.1 percent chase rate and a 34.5 percent whiff rate, which placed him in the 95th percentile among qualified pitchers. The southpaw also generates strikeouts at a strong 28.5 percent rate with a solid 34.0 percent hard-hit rate. If Chafin were to perform well in camp, he would likely earn a middle-relief role.

Free-agent relief pitcher Andrew Chafin is reportedly drawing interest from the New York Yankees. The 34-year-old became a free agent this winter after the Texas Rangers declined his $6.5 million option for the 2025 campaign. Last season, Chafin posted a 3.51 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 70/31 K/BB ratio across 62 appearances with the Detroit Tigers and Rangers. The veteran southpaw has been a capable and trustworthy option for years now. The Yankees desperately need a reliable left-handed reliever, so the addition of Chafin would make sense for this roster. This bullpen already features Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, and Mark Leiter Jr., so Chafin's chances of getting regular saves is unlikely in the Bronx. That being said, Chafin wouldn't have ideal fantasy value there, but is a good fit for the team.