The Mets introduced to reporters, together with Tim Healey of Newsday, that right-hander Chris Flexen has been launched.
Flexen, 29, was designated for project by the Mariners simply over per week in the past amid a irritating season. He posted a 7.71 ERA in 42 innings for Seattle, resulting in him shedding his roster spot. He was then flipped to the Mets in what amounted to a wage dump for the M’s. Flexen is making $8M this 12 months and nonetheless has virtually half of that to be paid out, however the Mets agreed to take that on so as to purchase right-hander Trevor Gott. They promptly designated Flexen for project once more and have now launched him.
Usually, gamers with lower than 5 years of service time can’t reject an outright project whereas retaining their salaries, however gamers coming from worldwide leagues usually get language of their contracts to avoid the conventional service time guidelines. MLBTR confirmed that Flexen couldn’t be despatched to the minors with out his consent, which prompted this launch.
The Mets will stay on the hook for what stays of that cash for the remainder of the season. Any of the 29 different golf equipment might signal him and would solely be accountable for paying him the prorated league minimal wage for any time spent on the roster, with that quantity subtracted from what the Mets pay.
Though he’s undeniably struggled this 12 months, Flexen might garner curiosity based mostly on his earlier work. In 2020, he headed to Korea to pitch for the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Group. He posted a 3.01 ERA over 21 begins there and parlayed that right into a two-year take care of the Mariners that got here with a $4.75M assure. Over 2021 and 2022, he tossed 317 1/3 innings with a 3.66 ERA, triggering an $8M vesting possibility for 2023 within the course of.
With varied golf equipment across the league coping with accidents to their pitching staffs, it wouldn’t be a shock to see a few of them give Flexen a shot to recapture his earlier kind, particularly contemplating it could include basically no monetary threat.
