Former Doosan Bears right-handed pitcher Chris Flexen (31, Chicago Cubs) has emerged as 'Mr. Zero' in Major League Baseball. He is turning the tide with a streak of 18⅓ innings without an earned run in 11 games.

On the 16th (Korean time), Flexen made a relief appearance in the 10th inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, during a home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2025 Major League Baseball season, successfully retiring all three batters he faced in one inning.

With the game tied 2-2 in the 10th inning, Flexen took the mound in a tiebreaker situation with no outs and a runner on second base. He handled Ke'Bryan Hayes with a ground ball to shortstop, retired Henry Davis with a line drive to right field, and got Isaiah Kiner-Falefa to hit a line drive to second base. Although Kiner-Falefa's hit was a potential single, second baseman Nico Hoerner made a diving catch.

In the bottom of the 10th, the Cubs secured a 3-2 victory with Ian Happ's walk-off single. Flexen earned the win, throwing a total of 16 pitches with a top speed of 94.3 mph (151.8 km/h) and an average of 93.1 mph (149.8 km/h), mixing six four-seam fastballs with curveballs and cutters (both five pitches).

As of this day, Flexen has pitched 18⅓ innings over 11 games this season, recording 4 wins, 1 save, a 0.00 earned run average, 10 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 0.82 with a batting average against of .161. Since being called up on the 1st of last month, he has allowed only one run, which was unearned. He has emerged as 'Mr. Zero' with a streak of 18⅓ innings without an earned run.

Flexen struggled last year with the Chicago White Sox, posting a record of 3 wins and 15 losses with a 4.95 earned run average over 33 games (30 starts, 160 innings). After the season, he had difficulty finding a new team. There was speculation about a return to the KBO League, but Flexen, demonstrating his desire to stay in Major League Baseball, signed a minor league contract with the Cubs in February for another shot.

In Triple-A Iowa for the Cubs, he made five starts, pitched 23⅓ innings, and recorded an unbeaten 3 wins with a 1.16 earned run average and 21 strikeouts, seizing the opportunity for a call-up. Flexen started his season with a scoreless 3-inning save against the Milwaukee Brewers on the 3rd of last month, contributing to stopping runs and setting the stage for the team's comeback win.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times on the 30th of last month, Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted, "Flexen has done well in high-pressure situations. He has often succeeded in long outings where we've come from behind. It's a role he hasn't frequently played in his career, but he has been performing well." Flexen, who has primarily pitched as a starter, said, "My mindset is the same. My goal is to get outs, protect the lead, and help the team win."

Flexen is also familiar to Korean fans. A 'failed prospect' with the New York Mets from 2017 to 2019, he turned his career around after signing with Doosan in 2020. Despite not pitching a full season due to thigh and foot injuries, he recorded 8 wins and 4 losses with a 3.01 earned run average over 21 games (116⅔ innings), demonstrating strong performance. Particularly, in the postseason, he showcased a spectacular performance, securing 2 wins, 1 loss, and 1 save in 5 games (28⅓ innings) with a 1.91 earned run average and 32 strikeouts before signing a guaranteed 2-year, $4.75 million contract with the Seattle Mariners, making his return to the big leagues.

In his first year back in 2021, he made 31 appearances (179⅔ innings), recording 14 wins and 6 losses with a 3.61 earned run average and 125 strikeouts, becoming a successful case of KBO reverse export. Having pitched a total of 317⅓ innings in his first two years, he met the 300-inning option, leading to the automatic activation of a vesting option for an $8 million salary in 2023, ultimately receiving up to $12.75 million from Seattle over three years.

In July 2023, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies, and after the season, he became a free agent, signing a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the White Sox. Although he started this year with a minor league contract, he has demonstrated his competitiveness by securing a spot in the Cubs' bullpen, who are in first place in the National League Central Division (44 wins, 28 losses, .611 winning percentage).

[OSEN]