Seattle Mariners 2021 Grades: Part 4 – Starting Pitchers
Chris Flexen
Overall: B+
Chris Flexen led the team in nearly every starting pitching category last season, except strikeouts. That’s okay because strikeouts aren’t really his bread and butter.
Control: B+
With only 40 walks in nearly 180 innings pitched, Flexen showed excellent control. Down the stretch, Flexen was Seattle’s ace, and his control was outstanding as he kept going deeper into games. Here’s an amazing stat, Flexen only walked more than two batters in a game once in 2021.
Dominance: C
There are two ways to measure dominance. The first is strikeouts and Flexen finished third on the team in that category. His 6.3 K’s per 9 innings was one of the lowest in the American League among qualified pitchers.
On the other hand, he only gave up 19 home runs, also one of the lowest in the league among qualified pitchers. Flexen led the Seattle Mariners in quality starts (3 or less earned runs in 6 or more innings pitched) with 15.
Intangibles: B+
Flexen was called on time and time again to stop losing streaks, keep winning streaks going, and eat innings. Down the stretch, he was an integral part of the Mariners’ playoff push. He finished with a 14-6 record, 3.61 ERA, and 3.5 WAR. The 27-year-old is at the beginning of his prime and is poised to pick up where he left off with a better supporting cast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F8Kg0dGwsU