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Bears pitcher Chris Flexen delivers strong performances ahead of KBO return

Published: 18 Mar. 2026, 13:51 Updated: 19 Mar. 2026, 14:26

Doosan Bears pitcher Chris Flexen pitches during a preseason game against the Hanwha Eagles at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon on March 17. [DOOSAN BEARS]

DAEJEON — Chris Flexen is in strong form ahead of his return to the KBO, delivering back-to-back solid performances in the preseason as the Doosan Bears count on him to lead their pitching staff in the upcoming 2026 season.

Flexen started in a 3-2 win against the Hanwha Eagles at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon on Tuesday and allowed 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 8 over 4 innings.

His fastball reached 152 kilometers per hour (94 miles per hour), and he threw 60 strikes out of 82 pitches. He mixed 37 fastballs, 26 cutters, 13 curveballs and six forkballs. The outing followed a scoreless appearance on Thursday against the Kiwoom Heroes, when he pitched 3 1/3 innings.

“Starter Flexen pitched well with confidence,” Bears manager Kim Won-hyong said.

Flexen allowed his only run on Tuesday in the fourth inning. He gave up consecutive hits to Kang Baek-ho and Chae Eun-seong, putting runners on first and second with no outs. He struck out Choi In-ho and induced a groundout from Ha Ju-suk.

But a ground ball hit by Lee Do-yun deflected off the mound and Flexen’s leg and bounced high into the air. Flexen fielded it and threw to first, but the throw sailed past the first baseman, allowing a run to score.

Flexen is a player who rebuilt his career in the KBO. Before joining the Bears in 2020, he struggled in the MLB with the New York Mets, where he went 3-11 with an 8.07 ERA from 2017 to 2019.

He failed to shine with the Bears immediately, recording 8-4 with a 3.01 ERA in the early stage of the 2020 season. A foot fracture also sidelined him for two months.

He started to play better toward the end of the 2020 season. He went 4-0 with a 0.85 ERA in October that year, then threw 6 scoreless innings in Game 1 of the first round of KBO playoffs and recorded 11 strikeouts in both that game and Game 1 of the second round of playoffs.

Doosan Bears pitcher Chris Flexen pitches during a preseason game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Bears Park in Icheon, Gyeonggi, on Marhc 12. [NEWS1]

He also added a 3-inning scoreless save in Game 4 of the second round of playoffs and allowed 1 run over 6 innings in Game 2 of the Korean Series, where the Bears finished runners-up after losing to the NC Dinos.

Flexen's successful run with the Bears allowed him to sign with the Seattle Mariners in 2021, where he won 14 games and established himself as a key player.

But he moved between four teams after 2023, and the Chicago Cubs released him in August last year. As he considered his next move, the Bears offered him a chance to rejoin the squad ahead of the 2026 campaign.

Flexen's return comes as the Bears look to rebound from a ninth-place finish on the 10-team table last season. The club hired new manager Kim, who led the SSG Landers to a Korean Series title in 2022.

The 2026 KBO season will begin on March 28, with the Bears facing the Dinos in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, on the first day of action.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]