Relief pitcher Andrew Chafin has been a member of the Milwaukee Brewers for all of 48 hours, and he already took a big step in connecting with his new team's fanbase.
The Arizona Diamondbacks traded Chafin to the Brewers ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline, and he has yet to make his debut in Milwaukee. According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel beat reporter Curt Hogg, though, Chafin left quite the first impression when talking to the local media Thursday.
“I hear they like their beer around here, so I’m looking forward to that," Chafin said.
Chafin, in a cruel twist of fate, won't ever get to play at Miller Park, since the Brewers' home stadium was renamed American Family Field in 2021. Landing in one of America's premier beer cities will have to do for the 33-year-old left-hander.
Through 43 appearances in 2023, Chafin is 2-3 with eight saves, a 4.19 ERA, a 1.427 WHIP and 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings. Before he got lit up for five runs against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 24, however, Chafin was sitting on a 2.97 ERA and 1.260 WHIP with a .216 batting average against.
Chafin is a 10-year MLB veteran, having spent eight seasons with the Diamondbacks.
In his first stint with the Diamondbacks from 2014 to 2020, Chafin put up a 3.68 ERA and 1.318 WHIP. He spent parts of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics and Detroit Tigers, posting a 2.30 ERA and 1.038 WHIP during his brief journeyman era.
Chafin returned to Arizona on a one-year, $5.5 million deal in February, although he has a $7.25 million team option for next season with a $750K buyout.
The Brewers added Chafin to their active roster Thursday, and he will be available out of the bullpen against the Pittsburgh Pirates. First pitch from American Family Field is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET.
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