Andrew Chafin isn’t exactly Hollywood.
The veteran left-handed reliever will have to get over that, though. He’s the newest member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The Angels traded for Chafin (and righty reliever Luis Garcia) in a deal with the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Trading for two relievers is a sign that the Angels are going for it.
But how does Chafin feel about his cross-country move?
We can look at a comment he made last year when he was traded to the Texas Rangers.
“At least it’s not California,” Chafin said then, according to The Athletic.
Now, it is California.
Chafin isn’t a big-city guy.
He grew up in Collins, Ohio, a rural area about 45 minutes southwest of Cleveland. He was a small-school superstar at Western Reserve High School, so good that his high school Firelands Conference changed its scheduling around to prevent teams from using their ace in all the big games, calling it the “Chafin Rule.”
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Chafin then played in the MAC at Kent State.
He’s spent 12 seasons in the big leagues, with Arizona, Detroit, Chicago (Cubs), Oakland, Washington, Texas and Milwaukee.
Chafin did have that season with the Athletics, so he’s not entirely unfamiliar with California. And he’s been very good this season, a 2.70 ERA a great mark to bring to the Angels.
At the end of the day, the mustachioed southpaw is a pro. He’ll take the mound and get the job done, no matter the zip code, even if it’s in California.
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