The Chicago White Sox reportedly signed pitcher Chris Flexen on Friday, following a familiar theme of their offseason acquisitions: low-cost veterans on short-term deals. Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that Flexen will join the South Siders on a one-year, $1.75 million deal.
The 29-year-old spent most of the past three seasons with the Seattle Mariners before they designated him for assignment and traded him to the New York Mets in July.
The Mets also cut ties with him, and the righty finished the year with the Colorado Rockies. Needless to say, Flexen had a tough year in 2023, pitching to a 6.86 ERA with a 1.671 WHIP.
The veteran hurler began his career with the Mets but failed to assert himself in parts of three seasons. From 2017 to 2019, he posted an 8.07 ERA and 2.132 WHIP in 68 innings of work.
An Interesting Connection
Like newly acquired pitcher Erick Fedde, Flexen went to Korea in 2020 to rebuild his stock. He showed more promise in the two years following his return to MLB. Over those two years, Flexen went 22-15 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.286 WHIP, and 4.6 bWAR.
Chicago’s starting pitching is thin, making Flexen a strong candidate for a spot in the rotation. The White Sox are rebuilding a pitching staff they’ve nearly torn down to the studs. Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech are the only holdovers from 2023, and Cease is the topic of many trade rumors.
What’s On Tap Next?
If Cease is dealt, the White Sox rotation may consist of Flexen, Fedde, Kopech, Michael Soroka, and Touki Toussaint, with a few others in the mix. With roughly six weeks until pitchers and catchers report, time to make additions exists.
When the deal is official, Chicago will have to make room on the 40-man roster for Flexen. The White Sox currently roster 40 players after designating Declan Cronin for assignment to clear space for reliever Tim Hill on Thursday.
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