A’s agree to trade for reliever Andrew Chafin

Still pending final details

The Oakland A’s are on the lookout for bullpen help this week with the MLB trade deadline approaching, and it appears they’ve found some.

“The A’s are on the verge of acquiring left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin from the Cubs, pending a review of medical records,” reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. A’s insider Martin Gallegos confirms that there is a deal in place between Oakland and Chicago.

Chafin is having an excellent season as a setup man for the Cubs. His low ERA is backed up by a sparkling FIP and great Statcast numbers (.249 xwOBA), and he’s converted 17-of-18 hold chances. Out of 20 inherited runners, five have scored.

• Chafin, 2021: 2.06 ERA, 39.1 ip, 37 Ks, 12 BB, 1 HR, 21 hits, 2.67 FIP

He was also an effective setup man for the Arizona D’Backs for three years from 2017-19 (total 57 holds, 4 blown, 3.46 ERA, 3.11 FIP), though a sprained finger cost him most of the short 2020 campaign. He doesn’t throw hard (92-93 mph fastball average), but he mixes a sinker, slider, and four-seamer to earn lots of weak contact and a strikeout per inning.

The A’s will send two players back to the Cubs, and one will be outfield prospect Greg Deichmann, reports Rosenthal. Deichmann ranked No. 9 on our preseason Community Prospect List, and in Triple-A this year he was producing at the plate but not in the expected fashion — normally a slugger first and foremost, he hit only four homers in a power-friendly league but got on base at an enormous clip (.432 OBP). He was Oakland’s 2nd-round draft pick in 2017.

The 31-year-old Chafin would join a bullpen group that includes closer Lou Trivino and setup men Jake Diekman, Yusmeiro Petit, and Sergio Romo. Chafin is earning $2.75 million this year (roughly $1 million remaining), and has a mutual option for 2022 at $5.25 million; if either side declines that option, then he’d become a free agent.

Check back for more details as the story develops!