Mariners acquire LHP Muckenhirn for Flexen, Gott

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Mariners were able to find a trade partner for Chris Flexen after all and unload his remaining salary of roughly $4 million. But doing so also forced them to include Trevor Gott in the deal that they struck on Monday afternoon with the Mets, whose tab for the roughly $600,000 of Flexen's deal will also be picked up.

In return, Seattle received left-handed reliever Zach Muckenhirn. Upon completion of the trade, New York designated Flexen for assignment.

TRADE DETAILS
Mariners receive: LHP Zach Muckenhirn
Mets receive: RHP Chris Flexen, RHP Trevor Gott

Muckenhirn, who will report to Triple-A Tacoma, was DFA’d by the Mets earlier Monday. The 28-year-old signed a Minor League deal with New York last offseason and made his big league debut on May 3. He’s pitched in just three games, over which he’s surrendered four runs on 11 hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings.

At Triple-A Syracuse, Muckenhirn has seen notable results, allowing just three runs in 30 2/3 innings, good for a 0.88 ERA. His 15.7% strikeout rate doesn’t jump off the page and his 10.7% walk rate stands out, but he’s also thrived at suppressing runs by keeping the ball on the ground at a 50% rate.

Muckenhirn also has three Minor League options remaining, including 2023, making his roster spot more controllable. He’s earning the $720,000 league minimum in the Majors, thus freeing up more payroll for Seattle ahead of the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline.

With Gott's 26-man roster spot cleared, the Mariners recalled Matt Festa from Tacoma for his second stint in the Majors this year. Festa, who was a key piece in the 2022 'pen, will be ticketed for lower-leverage spots. Command has been his biggest issue, with nine walks against 32 batters, in addition to an 11.1% walk rate at Tacoma despite an 0.62 ERA in 29 innings.

"I think a couple of spots in our bullpen will be fluid, I guess is the best way to put it, leading up into the break," Mariners manager Scott Servais said at Oracle Park, where they opened a three-game series against the Giants. "Then coming out of the break, we'll see where we're at from there."

Flexen was DFA’d last Tuesday in order to clear a roster spot for Gott, who was returning from the injured list after missing 19 games with a lower back muscle spasm.

"He certainly spent some time with the Mets around his career, so it gives him a chance there," Servais said. "Trevor did some good things for us. I thought he made some really nice improvements. I thought it was a really good pickup signing for us in the offseason, but it's an opportunity to give those guys a chance to go elsewhere."

Signed to a $1.2 million Major League contract last year, Gott had been solid for the Mariners, with a 1.75 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings in his first 27 games, though he struggled some leading into the IL stint and since returning. He was another among the many examples in this year’s bullpen of arms who’ve experienced a revitalization of sorts in Seattle.

Flexen was perhaps the biggest headliner in that bucket -- until this year.

The righty struggled to find his footing in long relief after scuffling mightily in four starts when he took the rotation spot of Robbie Ray when Ray suffered a season-ending left flexor injury. After posting a 10.58 ERA in those outings, all losses, Flexen labored to a 6.53 ERA in 12 relief outings, all games that were mostly decided by the time he entered. A clause in his contract prevented the Mariners from optioning Flexen, which also appears to be a factor in New York DFA’ing him.

It's possible that Flexen could clear waivers, as expected based on his salary, and accept an outright assignment in order to be stretched back out as a starter, which the Mets have sorely needed.