12-Year Veteran Pitcher Opts Out of Deal After Posting 0.96 ERA
The decision came after Chafin was informed a promotion to the big league roster was not coming in the immediate future, and with Caleb Ferguson nearing a return from an oblique injury that had kept him out since Opening Day, the math for a left-handed reliever who needed a clear path simply did not work in Cincinnati.
Chafin had not done anything wrong in Louisville.
He posted a 0.96 ERA across 9.1 innings with ten appearances, allowed just one earned run, and picked up a save in the process.
Veteran lefty reliever Andrew Chafin opted out of his Reds deal and is a free agent
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 4, 2026
The problem was organizational fit rather than performance. Sam Moll is the Reds' primary left-handed specialist. Ferguson is their second southpaw and was returning.
A third left-hander with no options remaining had nowhere to go on the roster, and Chafin exercised the clause rather than wait indefinitely for an opening that was not coming.
Why Teams Should Be Calling
Chafin, at 35 years old, sat 85.7 mph in spring training with the Twins, a number that prompted concern about his future effectiveness, but rebuilt his velocity during his Louisville stint and has now been clocked at 88 mph on his four-seamer and 87.7 mph on his sinker.
Neither figure is remotely overpowering in 2026 baseball.
But Chafin has never been an overpowering pitcher, and his results since 2021 speak for themselves regardless of velocity.
Since that season across multiple organizations, he carries a 3.03 ERA with a 26.7 percent strikeout rate, a 10.3 percent walk rate, and a 43.3 percent ground-ball rate across 33.2 big league innings last season alone, including a 2.41 ERA in a split between Washington and the Angels.
I’m sure Liam Hendricks and Andrew Chafin wouldn’t have been great for the #MNTwins
— SleeperTwins (@SleeperMLBTwins) May 2, 2026
But surely they would be better than “Luis Garcia”
He posted 591 strikeouts against 234 walks across his 12-year career and has been a useful late-innings left-handed option for eight different organizations.
The Angels, his former employer, carry a 5.62 bullpen ERA that ranks among the worst in baseball, and several analysts have them at or near the top of the team list most likely to call.
The Cardinals have a 4.92 bullpen ERA and a specific need for a left-handed option behind Justin Bruihl and JoJo Romero.
The Cubs have six relievers on the injured list and remain in first place despite it, making Chafin a good fit given his familiarity with the organization from his two seasons at Wrigley Field from 2019 through 2020.
The Royals are another name that surfaces. Their bullpen has improved recently but lacks reliable left-handed depth behind Matt Strahm and Daniel Lynch, and Chafin would immediately be their most experienced southpaw option.
He will have no shortage of options before the week is out.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
