Detroit Tigers Reliever Elects Free Agency, Signs With Washington Nationals

One of the Detroit Tigers pitchers opted to become a free agent, and he signed a deal with the Washington Nationals.

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 Detroit Tigers have one of the best pitching units in Major League Baseball.

That's not a surprise to see after what this group did last year down the stretch of the season, but because they have so many high-level arms, that makes it difficult for others to crack the MLB roster.

One of those players left out was Andrew Chafin.

The veteran left-hander decided to sign with the Tigers this past offseason after the was traded by the team ahead of the deadline last year.

Agreeing to a minor league contract late in the process, the thought was Chafin would make the Opening Day roster and be an impact arm for Detroit.

However, they made the shocking decision to send him to Triple-A Toledo, a move that caught the veteran off guard.

Now, with an opt-out in his contract, he decided to become a free agent where he has signed a Major League deal with the Washington Nationals, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

It's not a surprise that Chafin would look for an opportunity elsewhere, and the Nationals are the perfect landing spot for him.

The Tigers have the fourth-best bullpen ERA in the MLB (2.74), while Washington has the worst (7.41).

Tt would have been difficult to break through with Detroit barring an injury or unforeseen struggles, but Chafin will have a chance to pitch at the MLB level immediately following his decision to sign elsewhere.

It will be interesting to see how the 34-year-old performs.

With the Tigers in 2024, he had a 3.16 ERA in 41 appearances, good for an ERA+ of 128. But when he was traded to the Texas Rangers, he posted a 4.19 ERA in 21 outings that put his ERA+ 84.