GLENDALE, Ariz. — Some players tried to ignore the heartbreak by packing up their lockers. Others said their goodbyes to teammates and staff. And a few got out of the clubhouse as fast possible, not wanting to remain where their season ended for another minute.
But in the small chaos immediately after the Mariners were eliminated from the 2022 American League Divisional Series with a 1-0 loss to the Astros in 18 innings, Chris Flexen sat in front of his locker unable to process the end and incapable of quelling the steady stream of tears falling from his eyes.
The Mariners’ magical season was over. Even though it came in the postseason, the finality felt crushing in so many ways. But the possibility of no longer playing for the organization that signed him following his pitching exile in Korea, helping to resurrect his MLB career and also leaving a group of teammates that he’d grown so close to over two seasons were the reasons for his sadness.
A realist educated by early failures in his career, enlightened by seeing how roster decisions were made and hardened by the business side of the game, Flexen couldn’t help but think that it was probably the last time he would wear a Mariners uniform.
He knew how the game worked. He wasn’t part of the Mariners’ five-man rotation after the acquisition of Luis Castillo and he wouldn’t be unless there was an injury or his good friend Marco Gonzales was traded instead. He understood how Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners president of baseball operations, preferred to supplement his roster and organization. He recognized his value to other teams as a durable starter on a one-year, $8 million contract for 2023 and that Dipoto could use it to add to the roster.
But then days turned to weeks and then to months in the offseason without that dreaded but anticipated call from Dipoto or general manager Justin Hollander informing he was moved.
He reported to spring training in early February still a member of the Mariners. He didn’t find his jersey in a temporary locker or anything to say his stay this spring would be shortened.
On Monday, Flexen jogged to the mound at Camelback Ranch to start vs. the White Sox. He pitched two innings, allowing two hits with three strikeouts.
He will likely start again in five days as the Mariners plan to keep him stretched out as a starter this spring, serving as insurance in case of an injury or as a possible trade chip to use for a team in desperate need of rotation help before the season.
“It wasn’t the best,” Flexen said of the unknown feeling of his future. “But I’m still wearing ‘Mariners’ across my chest. I’m happy to be here. It’s a great group of guys. It’s fun to lace it up with them every night.”
Flexen tried to not let that uncertainty dominate his offseason thoughts. But he admitted that he couldn’t completely block it out. All it takes is quick app tap on a phone to find yourself in Rumorville.
“I think putting it all away and not thinking about is almost impossible,” he said. “It’s all over, especially with social media and everything. For me personally, I try not to let it get to me and focus on what I need to focus on and that’s being ready to be my best self I can be and be ready to compete for this ballclub and try to win games.”
Given his struggles in the first part of the 2022 season, Flexen had plenty to focus on during the offseason. He posted a 1-7 record in his first eight starts with a 4.98 ERA. Hitters posted a .278/.339/.491 slash line against in that stretch where he seemed to be behind counts constantly and his curveball couldn’t be thrown with any feel or command.
“It was nonexistent,” he said.
From June 18 to July 30, a stretch of eight starts, Flexen was 5-0 with a 2.86 ERA. He had started experimenting with a slider because “I needed a breaking pitch of any kind,” and it seemed to be working.
But when the Mariners gave up four prospects for Reds ace Luis Castillo, Flexen knew that either he or Gonzales, his close friend and “big brother,” would be sent to the bullpen. Flexen was pitching better at the time and Gonzales volunteered to go to the bullpen if it was best for the team. Ultimately, the organization felt Flexen, who had pitched in relief with the Mets, was a better fit for the bullpen. He accepted the decision without question or anger. It’s what the team needed.
Flexen made 11 relief appearances, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.62 ERA while picking up two saves.
In the assessment of his season, Flexen was dissatisfied beyond the results.
“All my stuff was a tick down (in velocity),” he said. “My fastball was a tick down. My cutter was a tick down. My changeup wasn’t as sharp.”
He focused on the slider and also cleaning up some small mechanical and physical issues that led to that small drop in velocity and inconsistent command.
“I worked on some stuff on my own, to try to just polish up where I was lacking last year,” he said. “That was something I was just kind of fighting for a little while a little bit last year. It took me a while to kind of figure out. By midseason, it started getting a little better last year. But I just watched a lot of video on what I was doing back in 2021. I’m trying to get back to that.”
Besides his offseason work, Flexen also had the best sort of distraction from the trade rumors — the birth of his first child in November. Flexen’s wife, Raven, gave birth to a daughter, Stella.
He proudly showed a pic of her smiling in outfit that had baseball seams.
“She was here today,” he said.
But will Flexen be here when spring training ends? The Yankees need starting pitching help, and there are always injuries in the coming weeks.
Manager Scott Servais admittedly didn’t know if Flexen would be with the team in spring training.
“I am happy he’s back,” he said. “I do think he’ll play a very important role for us at different points throughout the season. I don’t know when that’s going to happen, but I do think it’s really important that we are going to stretch him out and he’s going to start in camp. I do think his value there (as a starter) is good. He’s looked very good early on.”
Yes, Flexen has value to other teams. But he also has value to the Mariners.
“There’s going to be plenty of opportunity for Chris Flexen to impact our season,” Servais said. “I’ve got no doubts about that. It could be in the rotation. It could be in the bullpen. I’m not sure yet. We’ll see how that plays out. But he’s been really professional. You wouldn’t know any difference in how he’s handled himself in the clubhouse, interacting with teammates and coaches.”