The Arizona Diamondbacks signed left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin to a one-year, $6.25 million deal Wednesday. The contract also includes a $7.25 million option for 2024 and a $750,000 buyout clause.
With Chafin bound for the 40-man roster, Arizona had to make a corresponding move as well, designating 26-year-old relief pitcher Tyler Holton for assignment.
Chafin, 32, last played for the Detroit Tigers in the 2022 season but will now return to the team that drafted him in 2011. The reliever was selected in the first round by Arizona that year and played on the team from 2014 to 2020. He also played for the Cubs and Athletics before landing in Detroit last year.
Through nine years in professional baseball, Chafin has proven to be a very capable relief pitcher and finished his 2022 season with a 2.38 ERA in 64 appearances, piling on to his league. He should be able to help a Diamondbacks organization that finished 2022 with the sixth-worst bullpen ERA in the league.
It hasn’t been a quiet offseason in Arizona, as the Diamondbacks traded away young outfielder Daulton Varsho to the Blue Jays in a blockbuster trade. That being said, for a team that finished last season with a 74-88 record, its activity still pales in comparison to those made by big-market teams in recent months.
The organization has managed to retain most of its core while welcoming catching prospect Gabriel Moreno and veteran outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from Toronto. The team isn’t expected to challenge for a championship in the immediate future and has instead decided to take small steps toward building an efficient roster.
Left-handed relievers are a valuable commodity in baseball, as they offer teams a chance to challenge right-handed batters late in games. Chafin has made a living as a reliable arm for a variety of teams and should be able to serve a similar purpose in Arizona, where he has already proven his ability to contribute earlier in his career.
