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 $1.5MM salary for Flexen over the 2025 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.
Poor Chris no longer Flexen his muscles.
Lots of homers allowed, but outside of that, good looking numbers. Am I missing something?
He’s been horrible lately and the only reason he was pitching well was because he was locating with his low velocity. Not anymore
May be coincidence, but he was putting those solid numbers up in long relief until Counsell used him as a spot starter and he’s bombed ever since.
How could they? Next article please. “Cubs trade for Adrian Houser. Please note: Colin Rea approves. Yay, for 5th starters.
They got 5 vulture wins and 42 innings from him, cant ask for much more.
He Flexed just enough to squeeze out enough innings out of him before the eventual downfall. He’ll be on the Braves roster soon enough!
Come back to the White Sox. They’re going to need innings when Civale and Houser are dealt, plus the rest of the young guys that are pitching more innings than prior years.
Getz will have to compete with the Braves. They need bodies.
Anyone else notice that as soon as the Brewers beat a pitcher the losing club DFAs them. Been happening every series lately
The Brewers also know how to fix pitchers, so maybe they’ll claim Flexen and send him to their pitching lab for a looksee.
This (Flexen DFA) was going to be the move with any trade that resulted in an acquisition of pitcher the next couple days.
Considering he had multiple innings yesterday, probably not available the next two days, so DFA now (don’t wait until 31t) and bring up a rested arm for these two days.
There’s a chance nobody trades for him or picks him up, so a slim chance he can stay in the organization.
It’s become more of the norm to use up the arm, DFA or simply send down for a fresh arm. The next CBA should limit this in my view or after 5/01, all contracts get locked in for service time at the MLB salary. Doesn’t matter for Flexen but it does for so many others.
The Cubs are Flexen their roster today, it seems.
Braves probably trade for him.
Yeah, they’ve just been sending any able bodied player who has pitching experience out there lately. I get their entire opening day rotation is on the IL, and they’re just trying to limp to the finish line at this point.
If the Cardinals were able to trade Fedde, then the Cub can trade Flexen.
Tremendous move by cubs.
Flexen was starting to get hit hard, but calling up The Inexplicable Hollowell seems like almost an insult to the fans who were disappointed by Hoyer’s extension. Like he’s saying, “See, I’m gonna keep doing those things you hate.”
I doubt that Hollowell is going to have much of an answer to the Brewers’ almost unbelievably effective contact hitters the next two nights.
Nobody is going hate this move—it’s completely logical. Flexen is going to be first gone with the addition of a pitcher at the deadline.
He has no options left and pitched yesterday definitely not available tonight and probably not tomorrow either.
Bring up Holowell, who has options left—and will be available if needed in any role tonight or tomorrow–then shuttle him back down on Friday.
Pretty simple just adding a useable (didn’t say completely useful) arm the next two days.
And though only slightly, the Cubs are a slightly better contact hitting team than the Brewers.
Ok we made our big deadline moves by extending Jed. Let’s go sign those 47 year old relievers. The philosophy of Jed’s “everyone can have a career year every year”!!!!
Hey! Rich Hill is available!
Nope, Shane Bieber of the guardians perfect for Jed and the cubs. 60 day dl and not pitched this year but ready in 2026 when Tucker gone.
Houser will not perform well in any situation where there is pressure to win like a playoff race or a playoff game
The 40-man is now at 39, let’s see who they acquire tomorrow afternoon.
One of you actually wrote that the Cubs are a better contact-hitting team than the Brewers. Probably he has some idiotic newfangled statistic that says so. I’m more old-fashioned: I watch the baseball games. And notice the results. The Brewers, with their short quick swings, can string together hits to score three or four runs in an inning almost at will. That is why they are the best team in baseball, by record and by the eye test. The Cubs, with their long loopy swings, can’t do that. That is why they, uh, aren’t.
And your man-crush Tucker is the worst hitter on the field tonight. Even Brett Taylor had to write about it today. Tucker has had not one but two very extended slumps this season. The brief period when he was hitting the ball well was the outlier.
Prediction: He will end up signing a short-term “pillow” contract this winter–hopefully, with somebody else.
Tucker doesn’t just fail to drive in runs; he AVOIDS driving in runs. I understand that sometimes they don’t give you a pitch to hit–but in most situations, a walk is not as good as a hit. Sometimes you have to swing at a pitch that’s a couple of inches off the plate. It is getting hard to resist the conclusion that Tucker comes up to the plate with the plan of cadging a walk from the ump, to pump up his OBP.
Is king tuck a difference maker who deserves $500plus?? Other than taking walks, no way! Also, they need to start developing a shortstop for Swanson because whole fine defensively he sucks batting with runners on base scoring position. When 2 strokes, the fat lady sings.
If Jed can get an extension for finishing behind brewers for last half dozen years, what should brewers gm command for success in half the market as the cubs have.?
Brewers setting themselves for sweep as paralta goes tomorrow and cubbies beginning their fold.
Beauty—I called out Alan on his falsehood of the Brewers having a better contact team and he muted me.
It’s very simple math—thus far the Cubs have more at bats and plate appearances than the Brewers—with fewer strikeout.
hence, they have to make more contact than the Brewers.
He makes up stuff that is blatantly false on a daily basis. These are all simple to find stats.
He’s also thinks he’s a batting coach–and takes out false personal vendettas. Tucker remains in the top ten in WAR as of today
Cubs also lead the league in batting average–the Brewer are sixth.
These are not newfangled statistics as he points out–just good out strikeout percentage and batting average.
I am all for opinions but making up stuff that can be fact checked is just stupid trolling.
OK, I’ll amend that: The Brewers are better at making hard contact. Effective contact. Contact that makes runs happen. Contact that makes 11-game winning streaks happen.
And I didn’t mute you. I’m right here.
As for Tucker being in the top ten in WAR–but isn’t it mostly a result of all the walks, which inflates OBP, which inflates OPS, which inflates WAR, which is itself a mathematical construct?
Can’t you at least agree that he would be even better if sometimes he got unambiguously game-winning hits, like in the bottom of the ninth? I know that there are other ways to contribute meaningfully, but shouldn’t a star do that kind of thing at least once in a while?
Do you think that might still be coming from him? I hope so, but I’m not seeing it. What I see is a batter who makes a kind of fetish of knowing the strike zone and taking his walks, when he could be aggressive on some pitches that are barely off the plate and do more damage.
Your penchant for hurling insults notwithstanding, you seem knowledgeable and like a reasonably nice guy: tell me where I’m wrong.
They need to also DFA Pressley, Pomeranz, Brujan and Turner. Swanson is Heyward 2.0. Happ might as well go up to the plate without a bat. Very frustrating team.
I am going to mildly disagree with you on some of your comments. Yes DFA Pressley and Brujan, keep Pomeranz and Turner unless there’s an upgrade option specific in mind, then go for it.
Swanson is not Heyward 2.0. Hoyer/Ricketts went with the third best free agent SS option, and that’s what they got. He’s far stronger offensively than Heyward was. Granted, this is a low bar set for Swanson, where “at least he’s not striking out on pitches that bounce two feet in front of the plate with a runner on third and less than two outs” is the measure of “better.” But still, Swanson has been a positive offensive contributor, even if not to the levels we’d like or as consistently as we’d prefer. I’m not saying you have to be thrilled with Swanson, just not as dismayed with him wearing a Cubs uniform as you (and I, definitely) might have been with Heyward. Happ is kind of at the same level. He’s improved a lot as far as taking walks. He has some speed. He’s solid out in the field. He’s not a superstar. He’s not paid like one either. Not every player on a team is going to be a superstar. Neither Happ nor Swanson is some black hole that hoovers up Cubs chances at winning games. If Happ and Swanson were the Cubs best two players and were relied upon to carry the team, the Cubs would be screwed. But they make very nice complementary players on a team that looks elsewhere for someone to carry the weight.
The Cubs can be frustrating. They’ve been especially frustrating the last two days, and pretty much for the past month. But they are still in possession of one of the best records in baseball. There haven’t been many times over the past fifty years that has been the case.
Lol honestly, I think the only reason your post even triggered me is because I watched game 7 against Cleveland again a couple weeks ago and still, STILL, lose my mind at Heyward at the plate. Nobody NOBODY is Heyward 2.0.
But thank god he was there to give that speech during the rain delay, yeah? lol
Going ito this eries with crew, they have 8 left. Brewers well on way to taking 6 of 8 and that should be enough for brewers in spite of Tucker. Cubs pitching has holes all over.
July 11th they decided to make Flexen a starter and Jordan Wicks a reliever and in the process broke them both.
Next on the DFA train, Brad Keller. Unbelievably lucky this year. Another guy launched from the Royals and White Sox. He will also turn back into a pumpkin soon.
Getting rid of flexen hopefully opens door for brujan, Presley, turner next.