3 players the Chicago White Sox need to designate for assignment
By Todd Welter
Chris Flexen
The hope was the White Sox would get the 2021 and 2022 versions of Flexen when they signed the starting pitcher. He had ERAs under four during those two seasons with the Seattle Mariners.
Instead, they are getting the pitcher who was awful with the Mets over his first three seasons and the pitcher who got rocked last year with Seattle and then the Colorado Rockies.
Flexen has an 8.78 ERA and a 6.20 FIP. He has only made three starts but is already getting demoted to the bullpen. We think.
Jonathan Cannon to start for Sox tomorrow. Pedro Grifol noncommittal on Nick Nastrini, Cannon being part of rotation moving forward. Sox getting Erick Fedde, Garrett Crochet extra rest. Chris Flexen still starter for now but will pitch out of ‘pen “at some point,” per Grifol.
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) April 15, 2024
Since the Sox have already called up Nick Nastrini and Jonathan Cannon, it does not make sense to keep Flexen. The Sox have Tanner Backs as the long reliever in the bullpen. Flexen has never been good coming out of the pen with a 5.07 career ERA in a relief role.
The Sox would be better served seeing what Nastrini and Cannon can do this season. If they struggle or someone else in the rotation gets hurt, Chicago still has Mike Clevinger, Brad Keller, and Touki Toussaint in the organization to provide depth.