Atlanta Braves Bring Back Tyler Flowers in Underwhelming Move
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Braves will have Tyler Flowers behind the plate once again in 2020. The Braves declined Flower’s option but still brought the veteran catcher back in an underwhelming move.
Tyler Flowers will continue to be the Atlanta Braves starting catcher in 2020 despite his severe struggles this past season. The Braves declined Flower’s option using his buyout and signing him for $4-million.
Combined with the $2-million dollar buyout Flowers is still making his salary. It simply semantics for Atlanta, they will have $2-million dollars less on next season’s listed payroll.
Flowers hit .229 on the season and did most of his damage in the first half of the season. He was often inadequate behind the plate and in his game-calling.
Atlanta was caught with a no-win decision here. Flowers underperformed and wasn’t very good in 2019, however, there are few better options and Atlanta needs two catchers.
Signing Flowers allows Atlanta to focus on other possibilities. They can focus on other areas of need and come back to acquiring a starting catcher if other options fall through.
Atlanta let Billy Hamilton and Julio Teheran go while bringing back Tyler Flowers and Nick Markakis. The Teheran move is surprising while the other three moves were to be expected. It will be interesting to see how Atlanta approaches the off-season with so many areas of need.
They will need to sign or acquire bullpen help, a catcher, outfielder, and at least one starting pitcher. This doesn’t include Josh Donaldson who received a qualifying offer today from Atlanta as expected.
He will be Atlanta’s first priority as they attempt to bring back the fan-favorite. Acquiring starting pitching and re-signing Donaldson are the priorities bringing back Tyler Flowers is a move that keeps both plausible.
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If Atlanta cannot follow through and keep Tyler Flowers as the starter it is hard not to see this team regressing. No doubt it will be an interesting off-season to watch with Braves fans set on being a World Series contender in 2020.