Even though the White Sox have been playing better recently, the trade rumors surrounding the team have not stopped swirling. In fact, they have intensified as of late. Recent reports have stated that the team is “open for business” regarding anyone on the roster, including star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and pitcher Garrett Crochet. It seems unlikely that the White Sox will trade either of those two players at the deadline, but they will undoubtedly be trading away several veterans in July. One of those veterans will be 29-year-old right-handed pitcher Chris Flexen, whom Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported has become a “hot commodity” and will likely be traded sooner rather than later.
Flexen is a veteran of seven MLB seasons and also spent a year in Korea during the 2020 pandemic. He had a pair of productive seasons with the Mariners in 2021 and 2022 but has never been anything special at the MLB level. Flexen has a career 4.90 ERA, 4.95 FIP, and 1.47 WHIP in 128 MLB appearances, 86 of which were starts. The right-hander has bounced from team to team over the years, never sticking in one place for too long because of his inconsistent production on the mound. The fact that he signed a one-year deal with the White Sox this past offseason is pretty damning evidence that Flexen’s services were not in much demand as recently as a few months ago.
Despite his shaky track record, Flexen has performed well in his stint in Chicago thus far. He currently sports a 4.29 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 35.2 innings over eight games. He has been even better recently, pitching to a 1.69 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 0.94 WHIP, and 7.9 K/9 in his last three starts covering 16 innings. Flexen also has the lowest WHIP and hits per nine innings of his MLB career this season, so he is doing a better job of limiting baserunners than ever before. Flexen’s stock has been trending upwards as of late, and other teams have noticed that as evidenced by their interest in acquiring him through a trade.
Flexen’s contract is also a significant factor in the equation and explains why he is receiving so much interest. This past offseason, he signed a one-year/$1.75 million contract as a depth arm and innings eater. A $1.75 million contract is essentially pennies for an MLB team, especially when said contract belongs to a pitcher who has been productive like Flexen.
Nightengale’s report does not list specific teams interested in Flexen, but any contending team needing pitching can easily add his contract to their books without issue. He should have a variety of suitors for that reason alone. Smaller market teams who cannot afford to add significant contracts to their payroll will likely be especially interested in acquiring his services.
The White Sox recently flipped veteran outfielder Robbie Grossman for a promising young bullpen arm, their first trade of the season. They are open for business and it would be nice if they could get something for Flexen. Based on recent reports, they will. Even though he is having a good season, Flexen is a placeholder at best on the White Sox roster. Parlaying him into a young player with a possible long-term future in Chicago is a move the team needs to make if the opportunity presents itself.
