The New York Yankees have made big improvements to their pitching staff this winter, especially in the bullpen. They added All-Star closer Devin Williams via trade, re-signed Johnathan Loaisiga, and added Fernando Cruz in a deal with the Reds.
The Yankees could pursue Andrew Chafin in free agency
However, they are still missing a top lefty in the bullpen to be effective in key matchups. One guy they could pursue is free agent left-hander Andrew Chafin, a player that Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Yankees have interest in.
Chafin, 34, has played in the major leagues for 10 years, but has been bouncing around a number of teams since 2020. He spent last season with the Tigers and Rangers, throwing a total of 56.1 innings with a 3.51 ERA and recording a career-high 70 strikeouts.
His 28.5% strikeout rate last season was nearly three percentage points higher than his career average of 25.9%. The downside was that his ground ball rate (36.1%) was significantly lower than his career percentage (48.1%), which means that his non-strikeouts are typically louder outs. He allowed six home runs in 2023 and five last season.
Chafin could be a secret weapon out of the Yankees bullpen
However, his strikeout stuff could play really well out of the Yankees’ bullpen, and he would give them a reliable lefty that could come in any situation of games. He has plenty of experience as a high-leverage arm, mostly as a setup man. Chafin has 20 career saves, 17 of which have come since the 2021 season.
The Yankees had to claw their way to finding an effective lefty in the bullpen last season. They found a gem in Tim Hill, but he is also a free agent, though a reunion is possible if they don’t sign Chafin. Hill was great at limiting damage but struggled to generate whiffs, which may make Chafin a better fit for the bullpen.
The Yankees have prioritized adding strikeout stuff in the bullpen this offseason, as last season’s bullpen consistently struggled to put hitters away. They also got very little out of their lefties outside of Hill, as Victor Gonzalez and Caleb Ferguson were underwhelming before they were essentially replaced with Hill and Tim Mayza.
New York has a few areas they would like to address before the offseason is finished. Chafin could be a quality signing to give the Yankees one of the deepest bullpens in baseball.
