The veteran right-hander has now made three starts for Triple-A Iowa, allowing two runs (one earned) on 15 hits in 16 1/3 innings while striking out 12 and walking six. Flexen has struggled the last two seasons in the big leagues, but with Justin Steele being lost for the season due to injury, Flexen could emerge as an option in the Cubs’ rotation in the near future.

Flexen and Bickford were added with an outside shot of helping the Cubs’ bullpen, but neither pitched well enough in the Cactus League to make the majors. Flexen could opt-out and look elsewhere, but his market is likely to be limited.

Flexen heads to Cubs camp as emergency starting pitching depth after posting a serviceable 4.95 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 123/63 K/BB ratio across 160 innings (33 appearances, 30 starts) last year with the cross-town White Sox. The 30-year-old will battle for a spot in Chicago’s season-opening pitching mix but will most likely have to spend some time at Triple-A Iowa.