Now that the 2018 season is over for the New York Mets, we have been looking back at the year that was. After taking a more general view of the offense, pitching, and coaching staff, it’s time to take a look back at the Mets’ players. This series will take a look at every player on the roster for the Mets at the end of season from B (Tyler Bashlor) to Z (Daniel Zamora). The review will look at their season statistics, stories, and what role (if any) they will have next season. We continue the series today with a look at starting pitcher Chris Flexen.
Player Review: Chris Flexen
2018 Stats:
Minor Leagues: 18 Appearances, 17 Starts, 92 Innings Pitched, 6-7 Won-Loss Record, 4.40 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 1 Complete Game, 78:31 K/BB Ratio, .300 Batting Average Against
Major Leagues: 4 Appearances, 1 Start, 6.1 Innings Pitched, 0-2 Won-Loss Record, 12.79 ERA, 3.16 WHIP, 3:6 K/BB Ratio, .424 Batting Average Against
Story: After making a promising big league debut in 2017, Chris Flexen failed to make the Mets’ roster out of spring training. Flexen started the year in AAA Las Vegas, but became a frequent flyer on the Las Vegas shuttle starting in May. The Mets brought Flexen up in mid-May, where he didn’t pitch for a few days before coming in relief of Jason Vargas in Milwaukee on May 26th. Flexen was absolutely destroyed in that contest, giving up seven runs (although four were unearned) in two innings, and the Mets sent him back to AAA the next day. The Mets brought Flexen back twice in June, when he made a pair of relief appearances, before recalling him to start against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 8th. Flexen was hit hard in that game as well, giving up five runs in three innings of work to suffer his second loss of the season. The Mets sent Flexen down to the minors again after that start, where he would pitch for another month before undergoing season ending knee surgery in early August.
Grade: F
Simply put, Flexen wasn’t good for the Mets at all in 2018.
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration Eligible
Odds of Returning: 80%
2019 Role: Depth Starter
Flexen pitched decently well in a hitter friendly Pacific Coast League, so the odds are in his favor that the Mets would like to give him a chance to develop for their new AAA affiliate in Syracuse. The Mets don’t have a ton of depth beyond their main starters right now either, so Flexen could be a cheap internal option to make a few starts if the need arises in 2019. Unless Flexen has a breakthrough for Syracuse this year, the Mets likely won’t want to see him make more than a handful of big league appearances because that would mean their rotation has been ravaged by injury.
Check back tomorrow as our Player Review Series continues with a look at infielder Wilmer Flores!
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