Wilmer, Giants agree to two-year deal
Maria Guardado
@mi_guardadoSAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants added another veteran to their crowded infield mix, announcing a two-year contract with Wilmer Flores on Wednesday.
The multiyear deal is worth $6.25 million, with Flores making $3 million in each of the next two seasons. It also includes a club option for the 2022 season that would pay Flores $3.5 million with a $250,000 buyout.
It marks the first multiyear deal given out by president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, who joined the Giants in November 2018.
¡°The addition of Wilmer Flores gives us great flexibility with his ability to play across the infield,¡± Zaidi said in a statement announcing the signing. ¡°Offensively, he matches up well against both right-handed and left-handed pitching and adds another bat to the mix that can help lengthen our lineup.¡±
Flores, 28, should be a nice piece for the Giants due to his defensive versatility and his impressive track record against left-handed pitching. He hit .317/.361/.487 over 285 plate appearances with the D-backs in 2019, though he was limited to only 89 games due to a right foot injury.
Flores, who became a free agent after Arizona opted to decline his 2020 option in October, inflicted the bulk of his damage against lefties, batting .337 with a .982 OPS over 109 plate appearances against them last year. The right-handed hitter appeared at first and second base for the D-backs, though he came up as a shortstop with the Mets and also has experience playing third.
Flores will likely assume a utility role with the Giants, and he could help back up third baseman Evan Longoria and first baseman Brandon Belt, who hit only .211 with a .664 OPS against lefties last year. San Francisco has another corner-infield option in Pablo Sandoval, who re-signed on a Minor League deal last week, though he is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and is unlikely to be ready by Opening Day.
Mauricio Dub¨®n, Donovan Solano and newcomer Yolmer S¨¢nchez are expected to compete for time at second base this spring, but the Giants are planning to try Dub¨®n in the outfield, which could open up more playing time for others.
Flores¡¯ arrival only deepens the Giants¡¯ inventory of infielders, and it will create plenty of versatility for new manager Gabe Kapler to work with during Spring Training and beyond. The Dodgers embraced platoons during Zaidi¡¯s tenure as Los Angeles¡¯ general manager, and it now appears that the Giants are assembling the pieces to import a similar system in 2020.