The Cubs have operated the Iowa Shuttle.
Righthander Chris Flexen has had an up-and-down career.
He had pretty good years for the Mariners in 2021 and 2022 — a 3.4 bWAR season in Seattle in ‘21 — but was pretty awful for the Mariners and Rockies combined in 2023 and not good last year for the White Sox.
The Cubs signed him to a minor-league deal in February and he was assigned to Triple-A Iowa, where in five starts he posted a 1.13 ERA and 1.157 WHIP, with 21 strikeouts in 23⅓ innings.
Today, he has joined the Cubs’ major-league roster.
The Cubs are calling up veteran Chris Flexen from the minors, sources tell ESPN. Flexen, 30, has a 1.16 ERA in 5 starts at Triple-A Iowa. Been pitching fantastic down there after an arm slot change. He needs to be added to the ML roster by tomorrow or else becomes a FA.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) April 30, 2025
As you can see by Jesse Rogers’ tweet, Flexen had a May 1 opt-out. So the Cubs are going to give him a chance. It’s unclear as of now whether that will be as a starter or reliever.
To make room for Flexen on the 26-man active roster, reliever Tom Cosgrove was optioned to Iowa. Cosgrove ate up the eight and ninth innings of Tuesday’s blowout win and in so doing, threw 35 pitches. Thus he probably wouldn’t have been available the rest of this series. Cosgrove threw well and likely will be back at some point.
To make room for Flexen on the 40-man roster, righthander Javier Assad was transferred to the 60-day injured list. The move is expected to be retroactive to the day Assad was first placed on the injured list, March 17, as Assad isn’t expected back anytime soon.
Here’s hoping Flexen can get back to the pitcher he was three and four years ago. That would be a useful addition to the Cubs pitching staff. As always, we await developments.