1:31pm: The Atlanta organization has announced the deal.
12:36pm: The Braves have agreed to an extension with catcher Tyler Flowers, according to Jon Heyman of Fancred (Twitter links). He’ll receive a $6MM guarantee, including a $4MM salary for 2019 and a $2MM buyout for a 2020 option year that will cost $6MM if exercised. Flowers is represented by O’Connell Sports Management.
It’s not terribly unusual for veteran players to reach shorter-term extensions at this stage of the season, but this contract still rates as a surprise. Flowers has been a quality performer since coming to Atlanta before the 2016 season, after all, and likely would have drawn interest from a fair number of other organizations had he waited to return to the open market.
Flowers, 32, carries a strong .264/.365/.409 batting line with the Braves. While he has trended south in terms of output in 2018, he’s also walking at a much-improved 13.5% rate. And batted-ball measures suggest he’s still capable of doing plenty of damage.
True, Flowers was somewhat fortunate to carry batting averages on balls in play of .366 and .342 in his first two seasons with the Atlanta organization. This year, he’s back down to .286 while carrying only a .110 isolated slugging mark. While it’s tempting to label that regression to the mean, it may well be that he’s actually experience markedly poor fortunate in 2018. Indeed, Statcast credits him with a strong .368 xwOBA, in contrast to the .317 wOBA that has actually resulted.
Notably, too, Flowers has graded consistently as one of the best pitch framers in all of baseball over the past several seasons. That’s a skill that the market would have valued. Flowers is generally regarded as at least a solid backstop in other regards, leaving him as an overall positive on the defensive side of the equation.
Given the always-limited supply of quality backstops, it seemed Flowers was well-placed to have his pick of opportunities. He’d likely be viewed as a possible starter or heavily-used timeshare candidate by a variety of organizations. It’s certainly arguable he’d be seen as a more desirable player than some or all of last winter’s highest-paid backstops, including Welington Castillo (two years, $15MM), Jonathan Lucroy (one year, $6.5MM), and Chris Iannetta (two years, $8.5MM).
Certainly, there were no guarantees that Flowers would have done significantly better in free agency. This winter’s market will certainly include some high-quality alternatives. And it’s reasonable to assume that the deal works out for Flowers. No doubt, the fact that he’s a Georgia native played into the decisionmaking.
Nevertheless, the signing leaves the Braves with a high-quality player at an appealing price for next year, with an extra season of flexible control to boot. That the organization was able to get a head start on its 2019 checklist even while trying to finish out an exceedingly exciting 2018 season represents a positive outcome for the club.
With Flowers on the books, the Braves now have a major box checked without breaking the bank. The club will likely pursue another backstop, which could (but need not) be a significant player, depending upon the other opportunities available.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hopefully to back up Realmuto
Which pitcher would you trade to get JT?
Flowers/Suzuki combo is close to Realmuto statistically speaking.
HR’S 14/16, BB 49/29, OBP .342/.344, 2B 26/26, H 119/111
Not sure I’d give anything up for Realmuto when you break it down this way.
I have to admit when I went and looked at Flower’s batting stats over the past three seasons they were much better than expected.
Exactly. When you look at the stats for what these two are doing against some of the other top catchers, I really like the value they provide. If they can continue that and keep the cost lower than JT would, keep going.
I’d give up something for RT…. he’s a better player. He seems to have the ability to throw people out, although I don’t have stats to back that up. He’s widely considered one of the best if not the best catcher on the league and he’s young. Yea… I’d go after him
problem is that it won’t take something. it would take a whole lot of somethings to make it work.
Sure, he is, but if you’re getting similar stats from a platoon of MUCH less in salary, you stick w/ it.
Zuk is next…
They’ll pick up the option if Contreras isn’t ready by 2020. Really no need to splurge on Realmuto.
Even if he is, he needs a backup.
That’s a pretty team friendly deal, he would be quite a bargain if he puts up about 1 WAR of value again.
WARP, which includes framing, has him as a ~2.5 WAR guy in 2016/18 and a 6+ WAR player (!) last year in under 400 PAs. That’s the same value Mike Trout produced by their measures, but in over 100 less PAs, so … yeah.
Anyway, point stands: framing increases his value quite a bit.
I can’t wait until we get automated balls and strikes. When that day arrives, I no longer will be subjected to the sheer lunacy of a mathematical model that ranks Tyler Flowers ahead of Mike Trout.
Love having Flowers and good for Atlanta to reward his work.
Now time to extend Snit.
Jeff, you should list the salaries for both 2019 and the 2020 option year, rather than just the guarantee of 2019 and the buyout. It would be nice to know his potential 2020 salary ($6 million) without having to click the second Twitter link.
Honestly I didn’t even notice that it was in Heyman’s tweet. Added it now.
I think this means the end for Zuk, hopefully he’ll get a good deal elsewhere, he deserves it. Realmuto is never gonna happen, and this pretty much closes that door.
I think we’ve seen based on the attitudes the two Braves catchers this year they both prefer a platoon, not sure we’ll keep Suzuki, but I’d expect another catcher in the mix. One that will significant playing time too.
I would prefer to see Suzuki though, I’ve loved the combo of the two.
Him and Suzuki have been great together. Its good to know at least one will be back
Awful deal…jeeeeez. The Atlanta Braves want this washed up 32 year old vet catching in the future for this amazing young team? Wow, I’m stunned. He’s hitting 225 and ur gonan give him 6 mill? Wow, thank god this isn’t my team. I hope the Yankees don’t do this with Austin Romine because he is better than Tyler Flowers and I know the Yankees will never pay Austin Romine 6 mill to catch for them. LOL.
Yeah, he’s not hitting .188 like that stud the Yankees have back there…
Haha
Enjoy missing the playoffs
I’m stunned that you appear to think that batting average is the only stat that matters. I really think it would benefit you to delve deeper into a player’s complete offensive and defensive statistical breakdown before you post.
Lol literally everyone but you on the post says he’s being under paid. Have you ever considered reading what others post before replying?
Look at Flower’s OBP. And his .400+ vs lefties. Take into account the pitch framing. Not bad at all.
Mike are you talking about the Braves or the Yankees
Sheesh. This guy should be making much much more than that.
It will be very poor if they let Suzuki go. Suzuki has given his all for the Braves, he’s a very good catcher, he hits well enough in limited games(last two years less than 90 games) and he has been above most of his career averages in nearly every category in the 2 years he’s been with Atlanta including 19 hr last year and 9 this year thus far, and furthermore he’s a good caller for his pitchers. I really hope they find a way to keep him.