The Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers have both signed relief pitchers in Major League Baseball free
agency. The Royals signed Will Smith of Newnan, Georgia to a one-year contract worth $5 million on
Sunday, while the Tigers signed Andrew Chafin of Kettering, Ohio to a one-year contract worth $4.25
million. Smith previously pitched for the Royals in 2012 and 2013, to begin his MLB career. Chafin
pitched for the Tigers in 2022.
Smith also pitched three seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers (2014 to 2016), three seasons with the
San Francisco Giants (2016, 2018, and 2019), three seasons with the Atlanta Braves (2020 to 2022), one
season with the Houston Astros (2022), and one season with the Texas Rangers (2023). Smith has the
distinction of winning a World Series in each of the last three seasons with three different teams. In
Smith’s career, he led the National League with 78 games in 2014, Major League Baseball with 60 games
finished in 2021, and was a National League All-Star in 2019.
Chafin has had multiple stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks as well as the Tigers. He was with them
from 2014 to 2020, and again in 2023. Chafin also pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 2020 and 2021, the
Oakland Athletics in 2021, and the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023.
Will Smith in 2023
In 2023, Smith pitched in 60 games with the Rangers, and had a record of two wins and seven losses
with 22 saves, eight holds, and an earned run average of 4.40. In 57 1/3 innings pitched, Smith gave up
44 hits, 28 earned runs, and 17 walks, and had 55 strikeouts with a WHIP (walks and hits per innings
pitched of 1.06. Smith gave up four earned runs in 3 1/3 innings during the 2023 MLB postseason.
Andrew Chafin in 2023
In 2023, Chafin shared his time with the Diamondbacks and Brewers. In 63 games, he had a record of
three wins and four losses, with eight saves, 14 holds, and an earned run average of 4.73. In 51 1/3
innings pitched, Chafin gave up 45 hits, 27 earned runs, and 28 walks, and had 63 strikeouts with a WHIP
of 1.42.
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