Inevitable rumor pops up that has Chicago Cubs fans ready for a reunion

Death, taxes, and Chicago Cubs fans begging for Andrew Chafin to return to the team's bullpen.

Chafin pitched for the Cubs between the COVID-shortened 2020 season and part of the 2021 season before being traded to the Oakland Athletics. During that time, Chafin instantly became a fan-favorite at Wrigley Field while earning the nickname of "The Sheriff".

As the Cubs have had a consistent need in their bullpen for a veteran left-handed reliever capable of pitching in the later innings of a game, a reunion with Chafin has always been in the background of Cubs' rumors over the past two seasons.

Most recently, Chafin spent the 2024 season with the Detroit Tigers before being traded to the Texas Rangers. In 62 appearances this past season, Chafin posted a 3.51 ERA. Chafin is a free agent once more, and you best believe the Cubs have been connected to the veteran lefty.

The latest from Bruce Levine of 670 The Score:

Righty reliever Kirby Yates and lefty reliever Andrew Chafin are on the Cubs’ radar. The Cubs have been particularly light on veteran left-handed bullpen arms in the past two seasons, with righty reliever Mark Leiter Jr., who's now with the Yankees, often facing dangerous left-handed hitters because of his reverse splits.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Cubs were among the most active teams looking for bullpen help. While that doesn't mean that there will be a dramatic shift in Jed Hoyer's ideology when it comes to spending big on relievers, the fact remains that the early-season struggles of the Cubs' bullpen in each of the past two seasons can't be overlooked. Targeting a veteran like Chafin would certainly add some much-needed stability to the Cubs' bullpen.

Yates, another target mentioned by Levine, is someone we've talked about earlier this offseason. Given Yates' age, 38, signing him wouldn't necessarily go against the trend for the Cub when it comes to spending on the bullpen.

As the Cubs look to bolster their bullpen, the team officially announced their minor-league deals with relievers Brooks Kriske and Phil Bickford this past Thursday.