Cubs News: Andrew Chafin finds a ‘new’ set of wheels, with fans’ help

When you think of what kind of vehicles big leaguers drive, you probably think about Maseratis, Ferraris, maybe a loaded F150 Raptor. But Cubs lefty Andrew Chafin crowdsourced his recent search for a set of wheels – and is the proud owner of a decades-old Pontiac Firebird.

Chafin, who’s on a one-year deal worth $2.75 million with an option for next season, wasn’t looking to break the bank. The conditions he gave #CubsTwitter included being smaller than his 22-foot truck that certainly isn’t made for the streets of Chicago and a budget in the ballpark of $2,000.

Oh, and in a very on-brand move, it needed to be a manual transmission, too. In exchange for the assistance, he offered up tickets at Wrigley throughout the year – not a bad deal given how badly we all want to get back into the Friendly Confines.

I mean, just look at the guy. Channeling some true Dwight Schrute vibes there. The boots and blue jeans pull it all together. We’re not even a month into the season and already, Chafin has given us two of the most memorable moments of the year: going viral in an Obvious Shirts tweet and then looking to Cubs fans to find his next ride.

That’s not to mention what he’s done on the mound, either. The big left-hander has made six appearances on the year, averaging an insane 17.4 punchouts per nine. Given we headed into the year with some question marks looking at the mix of lefties in the pen, Chafin’s emergence as a shutdown stud has been critical for the team.

Who knows how long this love affair will last – but I think I speak for all Cubs fans when I say Chafin has been a welcome respite from a team that can’t score runs and looks like sure-fire sellers come the trade deadline in July.