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Cubs Release Chris Flexen

By Anthony Franco | August 4, 2025 at 8:31pm CDT

The Cubs released righty Chris Flexen, as first reflected on the MLB.com transaction log. Chicago had designated him for assignment last week. MLBTR has learned that Flexen declined an outright assignment, leading to the release. As a player with five-plus years of service time, Flexen will collect the remaining portion of his $1.5MM salary.

Flexen signed an offseason minor league deal and was called up at the end of April. That initially worked brilliantly. The 31-year-old fired 28 innings of 0.65 ERA ball over his first two months. Flexen’s 13.5% strikeout rate and pre-2025 track record suggested he was in line for significant regression. That arrived in July, when opponents blasted six home runs and tagged him for 15 runs (13 earned) through 15 2/3 innings. He allowed multiple runs in each of his final four appearances.

The Cubs pulled the plug last week. Flexen concluded his organizational tenure with a 3.06 earned run average over 43 2/3 innings. Estimators like SIERA, FIP and xERA all felt his true level was closer to allowing five earned runs per nine — essentially a match for the 4.95 ERA he posted over 160 innings for the White Sox a year ago.

Flexen has the ability to log multiple innings out of the bullpen or build back out as rotation depth. That’ll at least get him interest on a minor league contract, and it’s not out of the question that he finds a big league deal. A signing team would only pay him the prorated portion of the $760K league minimum for the final couple months. That’d be subtracted from the Cubs’ commitments.

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Chicago Cubs Transactions Chris Flexen

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View Comments (33)
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33 Comments

  1. RogerForTheHall

    3 hours ago

    The Giants on line 1

    2
    Reply
    • GangGreen23

      2 hours ago

      He grew up in the Newark / Fremont area, closer to the A’s territory ….. :o)

      1
      Reply
  2. Acoss1331

    3 hours ago

    Twins are already texting Flexen’s agent.

    3
    Reply
    • ForDoingNothing

      3 hours ago

      Looking for the next Noah Davis

      2
      Reply
  3. twozero6ix

    3 hours ago

    Mariners legend

    8
    Reply
  4. HalosHeavenJJ

    3 hours ago

    Perry, Grab him now and hope to keep him next year.

    1
    Reply
  5. Blue Baron

    3 hours ago

    Flexen has sucked ever since he came up with the Mets in 2017, pitching to an 8.07 ERA for them through 2019.

    That he is considered a major league pitcher at all is totally amazing.

    3
    Reply
    • Acoss1331

      2 hours ago

      Flexen is bottom of the barrel dumpster diving but some of these teams just need bodies, and Flexen can provide that in spades.

      1
      Reply
    • myaccount2

      2 hours ago

      Flexen was solid for the M’s for two seasons, then imploded in his third.

      3
      Reply
    • Sdubs

      2 hours ago

      He’ll have a job till he decides he doesn’t want one. You never checked his numbers after thw Mets

      1
      Reply
      • Blue Baron

        2 hours ago

        Sdubs: If you’re addressing me, as a fan I experienced his Mets tenure and checked the numbers.

        That’s how I know he sucked balls and had the 8.07 ERA.

        ultimatemets.com/profile.php?PlayerCode=1033

        Reply
    • Which MLB owners went to Epstein Island?

      2 hours ago

      I’m going to make a typical Blue Baron response comment.

      “What have you ever done as a major league pitcher? I’ve flushed more amazing things than you daily”

      6
      Reply
      • Blue Baron

        1 hour ago

        I’ve done absolutely nothing but watch baseball and the Mets for 57 years, more than long enough to know when a player sucks balls.

        Hey, I’m certainly not perfect, but at least I’m not you. 🤣

        1
        Reply
        • Which MLB owners went to Epstein Island?

          54 mins ago

          Youre an over 60 year old man using laughing emojis.

          If I were you, I’d kill myself.

          2
          Reply
        • Blue Baron

          50 mins ago

          Everyone’s entitled to act stupid once in a while, but you’re really abusing the privilege.

          If I throw a stick you’d leave, right? Go fetch! 🤣🤣

          Reply
        • Which MLB owners went to Epstein Island?

          39 mins ago

          Judging by your previous pfp, huge red glasses looking-a goofball, you could barely throw a penny into a fountain. Maybe work your way up to a stick.

          Looking like you throw with the opposite hand with your strong hand. You probably do a tennis “grunt” when you throw anything, including a fit.

          3
          Reply
        • Blue Baron

          24 mins ago

          Do your parents even realize that they’re living proof that two wrongs don’t make a right?

          You know, being a dick won’t make yours bigger.

          Reply
        • ThatsIT?

          18 mins ago

          Lmao boom roasted. Perfect scouting report of baron

          1
          Reply
        • Which MLB owners went to Epstein Island?

          15 mins ago

          Dawg, that’s a pathetic response.

          Reply
  6. forealforeal615

    2 hours ago

    Donning an Orioles uniform in 3, 2, 1…

    2
    Reply
  7. The Gambler

    2 hours ago

    Might want to hold up on that and change name to Soroka

    Reply
  8. Alan53

    2 hours ago

    I’m sorry, folks–Brett Taylor is just so incredibly lame. Writing things like “cool, cool” when the Cubs’ opponent gets a lucky break, like a swinging-bunt hit or two, is childish and silly, but beyond that, it is not useful. It is not informative. I get the feeling he knows that kind of thing is stupid, and that’s why he does it; he thinks it’s cute to, as it were, “perform” stupidity. It’s not. Do you think it is?

    The Cubs are losing because they are playing badly. They are eventually going to be the seventh of the six NL playoff teams because that’s how good they are. Infantile expressions of pseudo-frustration are not going to change

    1
    Reply
    • Dogbone

      1 hour ago

      Alan, get a life.

      Reply
      • Alan53

        14 mins ago

        @Dog: I will when Tucker gets a homer

        Reply
  9. sadmarinersfan

    2 hours ago

    The Mariners broke him. 0 ER in 12 appearances before he faced the Mariners and gave up 2 runs, and 15 ER in the 9 appearances after that

    1
    Reply
    • VegasSDfan

      2 hours ago

      He got shelled in his last 5 games

      Reply
  10. Blue Baron

    2 hours ago

    Alan53: What are you sorry about? Who’s Brett Taylor and where did he make these comments?

    Reply
    • Steelers 6x

      1 hour ago

      Blue, Brett Taylor runs a local Cubs site and has banned Alan for his constant trolling, racist accusations and general unhealthy musings.

      Alan uses this platform to do the same and swipe at Brett at any opportunity.

      He’s nothing more than a 72 year old man (yep, 72 not 11) with a keyboard and an AI generator to help him form what looks like cogent thoughts.

      He throws stuff out and when he gets the one out of eight right throws confetti around in a one man parade.

      Then he wakes up the next morning and realizes he has to clean his mom’s basement floor.

      1
      Reply
      • Blue Baron

        53 mins ago

        If he’s 72, his mom is likely dead.

        Reply
  11. AL B DAMNED

    1 hour ago

    If he’s not scheduled for elbow surgery, he will probably get a job. MLB Pitching is watered down more than most people’s yards right now.

    Reply
  12. Bruce wulff

    1 hour ago

    Does it really matter with flexes or whoever. Brewers all the way. All starts and ends with lack of production king tuck. Kong hardly worth $500 m plus, injury no excuse but he has no backup so he plays regardless. Sane with o a- he looks Ike she’ll.

    1
    Reply
    • nonchalanto

      1 hour ago

      Are you having a stroke?

      2
      Reply
    • Bruce wulff

      38 mins ago

      Pca

      Reply

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