Detroit Tigers reliever Andrew Chafin has turned himself into one of the most reliable relievers in the game of baseball.
The Tigers signed him this past offseason to help strengthen their bullpen and he’s been pretty solid for them this season.
The veteran left-hander has a superb 2.35 ERA in 10 relief appearances.
But many forget that this man was almost a starter.
In fact, during his days with the Chicago Cubs, he had a T-shirt from Obvious Shirts that read “Failed Starter.”
On Monday night, prior to the Tigers’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays, he was wearing a shirt that said the same thing, except this time, it was in Tigers’ colors.
MLB on FOX tweeted a video of him playing catch while wearing the shirt.
“Failed Starter”
You’ve got to love a guy who can poke fun at himself.
Chafin is just that kind of guy.
Though through just three starts, his numbers are not all that bad, he’s better off in the bullpen.
That’s where he really shines.
That’s where he has turned himself into a solid lefty specialist and one of the more reliable relievers in the game.
But it’s always nice to look back on previous times, like the one where Chafin was almost a starter.
It’s nice to see him poking fun at himself, realizing that he was never meant to be a starter, but making light of it and having a little fun rather than be discouraged by it.
This is the perfect shirt and it’s one he wears with absolute pride and passion.
Maybe one day he’ll get a chance to start again, but for now, we should all just enjoy his “Failed Starter” shirt.
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