New Washington Nationals Reliever Says His Body ‘Too Stupid to Get Hurt’

The Washington Nationals’ newest reliever brought his own unique personality to the clubhouse this weekend.

Mar 10, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Andrew Chafin (0) throws a pitch agains the New York Yankees during the fifth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Dave Nelson-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals signed relief pitcher Andrew Chafin to a one-year contract earlier this week. He comes equipped with jokes.

The veteran reliever was still on the market after he played last season for the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers. The 34-year-old went back to the Tigers on a minor-league deal and Major League spring training invite earlier this year, but he didn’t make the team.

Detroit assigned him to Triple-A Toledo and released him on Wednesday. The Nationals, in need of a right-handed relief arm, pounced and signed him to a Major League deal on Thursday.

He joined Washington on Friday in Cincinnati as they prepared to start a series with the Reds. A rain delay gave the Nationals media corps, including the Washington Post’s Spencer Nusbaum, the chance to pepper the new guy with questions.

He was asked what has made him so durable over the years. Chafin had a unique perspective.

“Well, you can’t pull fat,” Chafin said. “No, I don’t know. I don’t know if I’ve just been blessed and have a body that’s too stupid to get hurt or what. But I just do what my body tells me I need to do that day to be prepared to go do what I got to do, and body will talk to you. Just gotta learn how to listen.”

Chafin has been in the Majors since 2014 and has a career record of 21-27 with a 3.42 ERA in 601 career appearances. He started three games, all of which were the first three games of his career. Since then, he’s been a reliever.

His durability is incredible. Excluding the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he’s made at least 60 appearances in seven straight full seasons and eight of his last nine.

He’s pitched for at least two teams in four of the last five years, as he’s become a popular trade deadline piece.

The Tigers dealt him to the Rangers at last year’s deadline as Texas hoped to mount a comeback in the AL West that never came to pass. Still, he went 4-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 62 games with Detroit and Texas.

It’s the kind of durability the Nationals need right now. Three pitchers — Derek Law, Orlando Ribalta and Michael Soroka — are on the 15-day injured list. To make room for Chafin, the Nationals designated Colin Poche for assignment.

It seemed clear that Chafin didn’t know much about the Nationals when he arrived either.

“I have no idea about anything on this team right now,” he said. “I don’t really pay attention to anything outside my little bubble. So I have no clue what our record is or anything like that. I don’t know. I’m gonna show up and pitch my a** off and hope for the best.”

The Nationals were 14-18 going into Friday’s game.