The post Chris Flexen signs minor-league deal with the Cubs appeared first on Sox On 35th.
Another former White Sox player is heading to the North Side.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Sahadev Sharma, right-handed pitcher Chris Flexen has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Cubs. The deal is pending a physical and will presumably include a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
Flexen, 30, spent all of last season with the White Sox on a one-year, $1.75 million deal. The righty proved to be a reliable member of the pitching staff, starting 30 of the 33 games while eating 160 innings. Flexen posted a 4.95 ERA, 4.80 FIP, below-average 17.4% strikeout percentage, and 8.9% walk rate in that stretch. While the results weren’t particularly stellar, Flexen provided stability for an otherwise young and inexperienced pitching staff, especially after Erick Fedde was traded at the deadline and Garrett Crochet’s innings became limited.
As with the White Sox, Flexen once again figures to become a depth piece for the Cubs rotation. He will have a much harder time earning one of the five spots, however, as the Cubs have Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd all locked into the top four spots. The Cubs could ultimately stash Flexen away in Triple-A Iowa if he agrees to the assignment, though he will have the option to become a free agent if he doesn’t break camp with the team.
Flexen becomes the second member of the 2024 Sox team to remain in the city, as infielder Nicky Lopez also joined the Cubs on a minor-league contract a few weeks ago. We will monitor both players throughout camp and see if either finds themselves on the roster come Opening Day.
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Featured Photo: Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
The post Chris Flexen signs minor-league deal with the Cubs appeared first on Sox On 35th.