5 darkest moments for Chicago Cubs fans since the MLB trade deadline

Chicago Cubs: 5 darkest moments of the last week – #5 – Andrew Chafin

Once Joc Pederson was traded to Atlanta for first base prospect Bryce Ball two weeks ahead of the deadline, it served as an ominous omen of the impending fire sale that was to ensue. Before long, the dominos started to drop one by one, starting with Andrew Chafin. The Chicago Cubs losing their lights-out eighth-inning setup man was a gut-punch as it was, trading Chafin to Oakland for prospects Greg Deichmann and Daniel Palencia.

It was no secret the bullpen was what kept this team afloat for much of the year. That is, until the group got overworked by a starting rotation that regularly fell short. As for Chafin, he posted a 2.06 ERA in 39 1/3 innings of work. It got to a point where if the Cubs had the lead going into the eighth inning and you saw the Sheriff warming up, you knew it was a 1-2 punch of Chafin and Kimbrel coming in and more than likely you could rest assured knowing the game was probably already over.

Since departing, Chafin has had four scoreless appearances in Oakland, picking up right where he left off. He became a fan favorite in Chicago. For a moment, what was thought to be a glimpse of hope by the fans that maybe the worst was close to behind them became a far cry from the reality that was swiftly setting in on the North Side.