The Mariners have agreed to a deal with right-hander Chris Flexen, reports Mike Mayer of MetsMerized (Twitter link). The New York Post’s Ken Davidoff hears the same, adding that Flexen will be guaranteed $4.75MM over two years on the pact. The pact also includes a pair of options for 2023, per Davidoff. There’s a $4MM club option and, if Flexen throws 150 innings in 2022 or 300 frames from 2021-22, an $8MM vesting option. The O’Connell Sports Management client could also make an additional $1MM in performance bonuses, and he’ll earn $250K if he’s traded. The Mariners won’t be able to send Flexen to the minors without his consent, Davidoff adds.
Flexen, 26, was an up-and-down depth piece with the Mets from 2017-19 before signing with the Korea Baseball Organization’s Doosan Bears last winter. While Flexen – a former 14th-round pick – could only muster an 8.07 ERA and a 6.92 FIP in 68 innings as a Met, the right-hander put together a dominant season in South Korea, logging a 3.01 ERA/2.74 FIP with 10.2 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9 in 116 2/3 innings as a member of the Bears’ staff.
Flexen was exclusively a starter for the Bears, though most of his work in the majors so far (16 of 27 appearances) has come out of the bullpen. It’s unclear which role he’ll take for the Mariners, who have Marco Gonzales, Justus Sheffield and Yusei Kikuchi as locks to start next year. Justin Dunn, Nick Margevicius, Ljay Newsome and the just-acquired Robert Dugger represent other 40-man options. General manager Jerry Dipoto said at the outset of the season that he was targeting relief help, so if Flexen doesn’t win a spot in the M’s starting staff, he could be a factor out of their bullpen.
That’s a pretty large contract for a guy named Chris Flexen
His pitching with the Mets was about as bad as it gets. We’ll see if he’s worth it.
Seems to me like every AAAA guy should be lining up to get to the KBO or Japan and try and dominate over there. Come back a year later and get a guaranteed MLB contract. Yes I realize there’s limited amount of foreign spots but there seems to be a good blueprint set by the Flexens, and Lindbom’s and Kelly’s.
Putting an awful lot of weight behined one season of KBO stats. Worst case Flexen would just be a slightly overpaid reliever i guess
Steve Chishek springs to mind.
You think 4.75m is putting a lot of weight on his KBO season? It’s a low-risk gamble that they can afford to make.
I question whether or not he’ll be in the rotation, a swing-role or long-relieve seems more likely, but it’s worth noting he put Ryu kind of numbers and if that carries over, it doesn’t really matter where they use him.
For some reason a lot of posters seem to think everything over $1M is “too much”.
You have to look at Flexen’s body of work at the ML level to see that it is a gamble and an over pay. 68 innings and a career ERA over 8.00 says that $1 million is a lot for him, let alone almost $5 million
Except paying for past production is the way of the past, and they clearly think they see something more there
145 innings is what stands out to me. The total number that he pitched last year, compared to our shortened season. All other metrics be dammed!
RSox- I agree, but you can’t cherry pick his work in NY. Which btw If you look closely you will see 48 of those 65 inn came in his first year as a 22 yr old in a notoriously hostile environment. You can’t ignore his 2020 season. You have to look at his entire body of work, if you do you’ll see he continued to get better down the stretch when it mattered most in the KBO- he helped get his team to one game short of the KBO’s version of the WS. If you look at his entire body of work you can see a pitcher who’s vastly improved his numbers
Btw Signing Kendall Graveman and Tai Walker both coming off TJ surgery was a gamble but I seem to remember those 2 moves working out Okay. I’m not saying Flexen will have the same success as both of those SP’s. He’s a young player with some intrigue, if he doesn’t succeed that’s okay. It’s not a ton of $. He’s not going to be the only pitcher the M’s sign this offseason.
bold move, but he’s fairly young, so if he’s arb eligible after the two years its a solid bet
It’s not a “bold move”.
As an M’a fan we have some money to spend and the bullpen was our biggest weakness but I don’t like the move. We have some young arms coming up soon so this could be a stopgap but the second year is puzzling
You don’t like the move? I honestly know nothing about him but the money is negligible so who cares. Maybe he’s a surprise, maybe he’s gone in a year. Must be something they see in him.
Its not about the money for me but the second year. If the idea is to start winning when the window opens (3 years?) Starting in 2022 this guy won’t be here after the first year, its the same with Taijuan, I want the guy back, but for what? He won’t be here for the window so he is truly blocking our youngsters.
How is he blocking anyone? Either he is good enough to be a piece or he’s not. He can flex into the bullpen as well. Outside of Gilbert, who’s coming up to the rotation from the minors before 2022 anyway?
It’s a very uninspiring move. It’s not the end of the world, but aren’t you getting a little sick of Dipoto just trying out guys? There have been exponentially more duds than studs in all his tinkering with “low risk” moves.
As honedt of an assessment as there is.
Unsure is a valid comment.
Innings. He pitched a lot last year. Zerp pitchers were up around where Flexen was last season in the MLB.
Agree. I’d rather they try for someone like Archie Bradley. More dollars but a higher upside.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!
Mariners are Flexen! I’ll show myself out
They’ve proven themselves to be very Flexen-able……
I’ve got the door…..
I’m coming with you guys. You’re heading to the bar, right? =D
When are we going to hear the collusion complaints from Tony Clark?
This offseason is embarrassing.
From a Mets fan… this guy is hot garbage.
Very accurate statement. (I am also a Mets fan)
At one time so was collin mchugh
Still think so Zoo?
I think a player’s numbers in South Korea mean nothing in the MLB.
I have seen SOOO many players go to the KBO and rake, but who are some MLB players that went over there and sucked? I’m not sure.
Anyways, this looks like a pretty good deal for an M’s team that needs bullpen help. Didn’t Dipoto say he wanted to get 6 bullpen arms or am I just making that up?
3-4, depending on whether or not they could bring back Graveman.
he already resigned
Hence the choice of modal verb.
And it’s ‘re-signed’.
It’s pretty clear that he walked far too many at the ML level. The stuff seems pretty good so they must feel like he’s either figured something out or that they can help him do it.
He’s borderline horrible 2.5m not much
Great Deal! Flexen is a steal should be making near 12 mil a year maybe more. His numbers KBO were unheard of and he was a number 2 starter at worst with the Mets. Brings comparisons to a young King Felix. Not a joke.
You’ve got jokes. They aren’t good one’s, but you’ve got them.
A 3.01 ERA in the KBO projects out to be around 5.25 in MLB so I’m not sure how big of a steal this is. If anything, Seattle might have overpaid a little but if he figured out his control problems in the KBO then perhaps he can add some value to the Seattle bullpen or maybe as a backend starter / long relief guy.
Somebody didn’t get the “not joking” joke.
This. Also you can squint and see a #3 starter. Its quite a squint but the upside is still there. Hes an upside play that gives them at a least a middle reliever without costing too much with potential to be a rotation arm or late inning reliever. They need more moves like this the next year or two.
“A 3.01 ERA in the KBO projects out to be around 5.25 in MLB so I’m not sure how big of a steal this is.”
Please explain this math.
Did you not see the new equation created by noted baseball expert Jon Heyman that:
MLB ERA = KBO ERA + 2.24
Chris Flexen is in good company with another former KBO standout pitcher:
twitter.com/benhowell71/status/1332730448091418625
Now that’s good 24!! 😉
Just declaring something doesn’t make it true.
Based on what? Your mind math?
Hope this isn’t the big move the Mariners make at the meetings
This was actually MORE than they were planning on spending since three quarters of the fan base is always blazed up, they figured no one would notice, but what the hell, it’s the Holidays!
This guy was a dumpster fire in New York
Yup, and this scenario was every Mets fans prediction because that’s our luck lol. Good for him tho.
KBO is a hitter friendly league in general, right?
Someone should point out to the Mariners, South Korea is a loooooooong way from Queens NY. Wonder why Seattle never plays in October?
You probably shouldnt take a lottery ticket potential trade chip as if its a postseason move. Mariners aren’t contending, champ. Been 11 years, maybe focus on your own guys first.
$4.75M over 2 years, plus an option year is not a lottery ticket. Drayer is reporting he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent either. Dipoto is expecting him to be a contributor to the mlb club.
Signing “trade chips” is no way to build winning franchises.
Only Mariner fans say, “we’re not competing, so it doesn’t matter if this is a good or bad move”… like it’s a good thing.
Because they’ve been busy fleecing NY out of top prospects in exchange for enormously bad contracts.
Lol. Queens is a loooooooong way from the bronx if we’re talking about contending.
The Mets could potentially be better than the Yankees, but if I was a gambler……. id never count out the Yankees. Also they’re likely better than the Mets. Also Mariners fans tear ducts are dried out. Mets fans keep expecting more than they should, so they’re tears keep on being a source of fuel for other fan bases. I do think they’re better than some people do based on simply being the mets
I have long hoped that the Ms could fleece Seth Lugo out of you guys. I dunno why. Irrational love for a hybrid pitcher. He’d probably suck the second Dipoto pulled the “steal” but always loved him for irrational reasons.
Why is kikuchi a lock to start? I know he’s got a fairly big contract but the numbers flat out havent been there.
Such as the 9.0 K/9, the 0.57 HR/9, the 3.30 FIP, and the 52 GB% last season?
This season Yusei Kikuchi posted 1.1 fWAR, valued at $9 million, in nine starts.
Prorated to the 29 starts Kikuchi made in 2019, that works out to 3.5 fWAR, which this year was valued in excess of $27 million.
…and there’s the problem with some metrics. Anyone that watched Kikuchi last season would not have seen a $27M pitcher. He could very easily be in the bullpen by the end of ’21, due to ineffectiveness.
The problem w some metrics…. you mean metrics like SP’s striking out more batters, giving up less HR’s and putting more balls on the ground into an INF that includes two recent GG winners!!? Exactly how are those 3 specific metrics problematic in any way!?
This guy watched Kikuchi- I saw a SP that looked a lot more confident. I also saw him touch 98mph while sitting at 94-95 comfortably. He could just as easily be our SP2 due to his ability.
Ayrboy, he was 2-4 with an 5.17 ERA, and you’re trying to sell me how great he was? He was improved over a disastrous rookie year, but you think that pitching was worth $27M over a full season… which was the original point about metrics. Nonsense.
Chester, I have to ask if you actually watched the games. If you did, you should recall the league’s worst bullpen coming in and giving up hit after hit (when they weren’t walking batters) and the runs being charged to Kikuchi.
That’s why his ERA is high despite a low FIP and respectable numbers, and the point about value has to do with his actual salary based on his performance. In other words, he actually outperformed his contract in 2020.
He may not be around beyond 2022, but he did what was asked of him this year, so he’ll be a starter in 2021 and they’ll reassess his role from there.
Chester- I dont recall selling you on anything. I simply asked you to explain how improvement on K-outs, less HR’s given up and more GB’s to an INF that now contains 3 GG winners is problematic?
The irony is that you use his record and his ERA to discuss his value. The two metrics that are the most flawed in measuring pitching performance. Wins are used as a way to judge a team not a player and an ERA is impacted by events out of the pitchers control.
Yup. Let’s go beyond this ERA nonsense. W/L is everything. He only won 2 games. Get out the pitchforks… erm… Trident.
Edit: you didn’t mention ERA.
That said his numbers were fine. His uptick in velocity and change in slider usage were very interesting. 95 mph plus with a good slider is #2 potential or better. I think its fairly safe to call him a #3 even if it doesn’t work out that way.
#2 if literally everything goes right. Usually its lefties that can do that or better with mostly a big fastball and big slider. Randy Johnson being the extreme example. Bumgarner maybe a more reasonable upside example. Kikuchi as a reliever is fascinating. He has relief ace potential. As a starter in think he’s shown enough to expect a #3 but could see it going either direction. If he reverts, try him as a closer.
Cuz 14 mil
He wouldn’t be the first guy to figure something out at age 26 and go on to success.
PLAN THE PARADE
Maybe he’s figured everything out but, good grief, he was awful with the Mets.
Chris Flexen could flop again at the MLB level but the Seattle front office presumably has more information (and better information) than the typical fan has.
Flexen lost some weight a couple of years ago. Seemed he was really committed. Came out and….he was batting practice awful. He looks the part, throws decently hard but the results just were never there in limited MLB experience. Maybe the Mariners saw something to get those results. Not sure I see why he gets a two year deal but…stranger things have happened.
If the Mariners offered $4.75 million over two years, my guess is at least one other team thought his success in Korea would carry over. Jerry wouldn’t pay that much unless another team was willing to pay almost that much. Right? I hope so…
He was likely outbidding a KBO team. He got 1MM last year from the Bears before he had done anything anywhere. He was arguably the best pitcher in the KBO this year. I have no doubt he would have shattered that this year.
I don’t think its so much success as it is a decent innings eater. He had twice as many innings as any MLB pitcher last year, despite being in the KBO. That is money well spent. Just waiting for the youngsters to arrive.
Likely the mlb contract sealed the deal
That seems like a lot of $$ for Flexen.
The Mariners are flexen’ their financial muscle here…
Sometimes we try to hard
So he had the 5th best ERA in the KBO (without hitting the qualified amount of innings) and you guys and others want to crown him as such an amazing signings. KBO equates to AA in the USA. Being the 5th best pitcher (again, without qualified innings) in Double A should not get you millions of dollars. Simple as that.
MLB teams don’t hand out contracts based on ERA in the MLB, so why would you think they would do that for the KBO?
It’s not nearly as ‘simple’ as you seem to think it is. They make projections based on his skill set along with a number of other factors.
That said, it’s not like 4.75 over two years is crippling. A good middle-innings reliever will cost as much or more on a 1-year deal..
The KBO is actually about AAA equivalent and if you add his postseason excellence he was even better. The Mariners are more or less paying Flexen as if he’s a #5 starting pitcher/swingman and I would argue that Flexen is closer to being a #4.
Being guaranteed an MLB spot is weird, but undoubtedly why he signed with the Ms. He wants playing time. They gave him the best shot. Since its only 4.75m guarantee they can easily cut loose after next season. They’re paying him like a middle reliever or #5 pitcher. He was a decent prospect with decent minor league numbers who put up a horrendous walk rate in mlb over 68 innings and had the misfortune of being thrown into the league during the sillyball era. Lots of peripheral data indicates he might ne closer to a #4 starter than is obvious from his MLB track record. He spent time in the KBO working on his approach, the mariners likely liked it enough to guarantee him an MLB job. Worst case they release him and are out a few million. Second worst case he’s a middle reliever or mop up guy. Given his overall stuff its not hard to see a viable rotation arm or quality reliever. This isn’t a bad deal. Im sure they’ll be adding plenty of pitching, and most of it will be along these lines. Dipoto knows they have less than 20% chance of contending, despite what he’s said. They are going to make low risk medium upside moves in hopes of landing a medium term piece or trade chip. If they projected to be an 85 win team that would make less sense. Hes kinda like an old prospect except they can plug him in right away.
Everyone complaining about his stats are ridiculous. Mlb execs mostly use pitching metrics like spin rate and such. Results can only tell you so much.
If he ends up being a guy who can throw 100+ innings this year, M’s could potentially flip him at the deadline to pitching-needy teams that might have run into some injuries (especially with last year being so short). If no flip, then he’s probably a serviceable innings eater which is what the M’s need rn. Also need more talented pitching but this a good start
2/4.75 is middle reliever money. That’s what they think they have. Clearly they have data hoping for more but that’s the overall expectation. That said, there’s upside for more. They need moves like that.
Snake eyeing into a cheap #3 is a fine goal for 1-2 year guaranteed deals that can be controlled longer for the Ms right now.