Cubs designate veteran righty for assignment

The Cubs have designated right-hander Chris Flexen for assignment, according to multiple members of the Cubs beat (including Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times).  Right-hander Gavin Hollowell was called up from Triple-A Iowa in the corresponding move.

Signed to a minor league deal this past winter, Flexen’s contract was selected to Chicago’s roster at the start of May and he immediately reeled off 21 1/3 innings over 12 outings without allowing an earned run.  Even through 29 innings and 16 appearances, Flexen’s ERA stood at a minuscule 0.62, making him look like a gem of an under-the-radar signing.

Unfortunately, the magic has worn off, as Flexen has given up 13 ER over his last five outings, translating to a 7.98 ERA over his last 14 2/3 innings of work.  The warning signs were apparent before Flexen’s rough July got underway, as he has only a 12.4% strikeout rate over his 43 2/3 total innings, and the right-hander has benefited greatly from a .226 BABIP.  Since Flexen’s 3.09 ERA is dwarfed by a 4.94 SIERA, the Cubs have decided to move on from the 31-year-old.

Flexen worked primarily as a multi-inning reliever, and his tenure in Wrigleyville included one four-inning start.  He has been a starter for most of his career and tossed 160 innings for the White Sox just in 2024, but his low-strikeout and contact-heavy approach makes him a risk for regular turns in a rotation, as Flexen’s 2021-22 seasons with the Mariners represent his only consistent run of results as a starter at the MLB level.  Eating innings in any capacity is a valuable skill, however, so it certainly seems as though another club in need of some bullpen depth might claim Flexen on waivers or work out a low-level trade with the Cubs.

The contract selection locked in a $1.5M salary for Flexen over the $1.5M season.  With 91 days of Major League service time logged this season, Flexen now has over five years of career service time, so he can now reject an outright assignment to the minors and elect free agency if he clears waivers.