SARASOTA, Fla. >> AJ Hinch was asked before the game about getting Andrew Chafin in the same game as Chase Lee.

Just like Hinch facilitated a live bullpen matchup between Jack Flaherty and prospect Thayron Liranzo — who were traded for each other last July — it would be the same for Chafin and Lee, who were traded for each other on the same day.

“I want to get them in the same RV park,” Hinch said, laughing. “That’s my first duty.”

The Tigers on Monday signed Chafin to a minor-league deal and a camp invite, marking his third tour of duty with the club. His RV rolled into Lakeland on Sunday night. Lee, the side-arming reliever who came from Texas for Chafin at the trade deadline — is also staying in an RV.

“It was great to see him,” Hinch said. “Chafe always makes you smile when you see him.”

Things are a little bit different for Chafin this time around. The Tigers signed him for $6.5 million in 2022. Last year, they signed him back for $4.75 million. This time, he’s on a make-good minor-league deal with no guarantees of a roster spot.

“It’s really about competition,” Hinch said. “We’re obviously very familiar with him. He was still available and we have an open competition (in the bullpen). He’s got to come in and make the team like anybody else.

“The opportunity has been laid out in front of him.”

Chafin is entering his age-35 season and his performance has been in slow decline since 2022. He was effective in stretches for the Tigers last year (3.16 ERA), but he struggled in 21 games with Texas (4.19).

“He’s coming to a familiar place,” Hinch said. “Familiar in some aspects. But also a little bit more advanced than the last time he was a Tiger, just given how many of our guys gained experience last year.”

Among those pitchers are lefty Sean Guenther and right-hander Brenan Hanifee, both very much in the mix for a bullpen role.

“Balance is always important,” Hinch said when asked about the righty-lefty construction in the bullpen. “But at the end of the day, we always want to build a bullpen where, one, there is a ton of versatility. Two, it gives the other side a lot of issues to deal with in terms of arm angle, handedness and weapons.

“And three, we want a minimal gap between the guys who are pitching at the back end of games and the guys pitching in the middle and beginning. Chafe fits right in with what we’re doing.”

At this point in camp, free-agent signees Tommy Kahnle and John Brebbia, plus last year’s leverage relievers Tyler Holton (lefty), Jason Foley, Beau Brieske and Will Vest are set. Chafin joins the fight for one of the final two spots.

“He’s been playing catch and working out, waiting for the opportunity,” Hinch said. “He’s also more old-school and wants to just grip it and get on the mound and get into a game as fast as possible. But for him to compete for the job, we have one shot to get him into normal spring training mode.”

Meaning, they don’t want to rush him into the fray and risk an injury that would take him out of the competition. That happened back in 2022.

“We will be a little more conservative than he’d probably like,” Hinch said.

Around the horn

The Tigers are hopeful center fielder Parker Meadows can return to full duty either by the end of the weekend or early next week. The tests on his right biceps revealed no structural damage and he will be re-evaluated on Friday or Saturday. “Obviously, we want him on the field when he can come back,” Hinch said. “But we will go the extra day more than less.”

… Right-hander Alex Cobb got an epidural injection in his right hip, which is a normal part of the process after getting a PRP shot. He has begun light throwing and that will not be interrupted.

… Here is the pitching plan for the rest of the week. Tarik Skubal will make his spring debut today in Lakeland and will be followed by Ty Madden. The Tigers play split-squad games on Thursday. Jack Flaherty and Kenta Maeda will pitch in Lakeland, and Matt Manning will start against the Rays in Port Charlotte. On Friday, Reese Olson will make his spring debut against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.