Chris Flexen took the hill for the Mets as a spot starter in place of Zack Wheeler, who was pushed back to start the first game of tomorrow’s doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The 24-year old right-hander did not fare well in his first major league start of 2018 as he received the loss and lasted only three innings (76 pitches) in which he allowed five runs, five hits, and three walks while striking out two batters.
Things got off to a rocky start for him in the first inning as he allowed Joey Wendle to lead off the game with a single and after recording the first out of the game, walked Jake Bauers. That led to a three-run home run that went all the way to the second deck in left field to give the Rays an early 3-0 lead.
In the second inning, Flexen managed to calm down and have a clean inning in which a Wendle walk was the only blemish.
However, it got bad again for him in the third inning as he allowed a lead-off double to Bauers, in which he advanced to third on a passed ball.
Flexen would record the first out of the inning before allowing a Daniel Robertson RBI single that was misplayed by Brandon Nimmo in center field. However, bad baserunning by Bauers almost allowed him to get thrown out at home anyways.
Nonetheless, Robertson would score two batters later on an RBI double by Mallex Smith to put the Rays up by a score of 5-0. Flexen would then proceed to intentionally walk Jesus Sucre in order to face Rays’ pitcher, Nathan Eovaldi, who he struck out to end the threat.
That would be the last batter he would face on the day, though, as Mickey Callaway decided to pinch-hit for him with Kevin Kaczmarski in the bottom half of the inning. Chris Beck would replace him in the top of the fourth inning.
Flexen is now 0-2 on the year with an ugly 12.79 ERA and will almost certainly be sent down before tomorrow’s doubleheader to make room for a fresh arm in the bullpen.
