The Seattle Mariners on Friday agreed to a two-year deal with right-hander Chris Flexen, who last pitched in the Korean Baseball Organization.
Flexen, 26, has 27 games of major league experience with the New York Mets from 2017-19. The Northern California native, who was a 14th-round draft pick by the Mets in 2012, went 3-11 with an 8.07 ERA during his three-year major league span, with all three victories coming in 2017.
This past season he went 8-4 with a 3.01 ERA over 21 starts with the Doosan Bears. His 132 strikeouts meant he fanned 28 percent of the batters he faced, the fourth highest percentage in the KBO since 2002.
The Bears fell to the NC Dinos 4-2 in the Korean Series, with Flexen posting a 1.91 ERA in 28 1/3 playoff innings.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Mariners designated infielder/outfielder Tim Lopes for assignment. Lopes, 26, led American League rookies with 12 doubles in 2020. He is a .252 hitter with three home runs and 27 RBIs in 87 career games.
