The Miami Marlins' bullpen needs stability. Andrew Chafin offers proven success and veteran leadership, and could solidify their relief corps at a reasonable cost.
The Miami Marlins don't have a bad bullpen.
The team signed a proven closer over the offseason in Pete Fairbanks, who saved 75 games over the last three years with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Aside from Fairbanks, the Marlins' bullpen is filled with players who have potential --some have even put together quality seasons -- but also have a lot of question marks.
Calvin Faucher is the likely setup man if the Marlins don't make any more moves, and although he put up some quality numbers last season (a team-high 15 saves), his relatively low velocity numbers and increasing habit of giving up home runs (he gave up a career-high eight last season) raise questions.
Andrew Nardi was one of Miami's best relievers in 2023, but struggled in 2024, missed 2025 due to a back injury, and is still on the mend.
Josh White, 25, has a lot of upside and dominated in the minors last season. But we don't know what he'll do in the majors because he hasn't pitched there yet.
So if the Marlins keep their bullpen as currently constructed, it might work, but it might not, either. Getting a veteran reliever with a quality track record could go a long way in establishing the bullpen, and that's where Andrew Chafin comes in.
Chafin has been a quality reliever for years, with a career 3.35 ERA over 12 seasons.
Chafin played last season on a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels, and pitched well for both. In 26 appearances with the Nationals, Chafin had a 2.70 ERA and 155 ERA+, 55 points above the league average. After being traded to the Angels on July 30, he continued to be effective, posting a 1.98 ERA in 16 appearances (221 ERA+).
Now, Chafin is a free agent, and the Marlins could get him at a reasonable price, since teams aren't exactly breaking the bank for 36-year-old relievers.
There would be some concerns about signing Chafin, such as his age and the fact that, despite having a good statistical season overall in 2025, he ended the year with the highest walk rate of his career (5.1 per nine innings).
Still, it's hard to see much risk in signing Chafin, since, unlike most of the Marlins bullpen, he has years of success to back him up.
ㅤ
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!