“(The Braves) were the first team to call when I was non-tendered,” he said. “That’s when I realized this whole ‘childhood dream’ thing might actually happen.” And so Flowers became a Brave, and two seasons later, he signed a one-year extension for $4 million, with a $6 million club option for 2020. He and the team had dialogue in spring, and when the Braves re-approached discussions a few days ago, it didn’t take long to reach an agreement. The 32-year-old found where he belonged, even if it took eight years. He and his wife have enjoyed raising four children, none of whom are even 6 years old, back home – even if the team was stranded at the bottom of the standings. Flowers endured the abuses of a major rebuild. He’s been given the task of handling pitchers from journeymen to 20-year-olds. He’s been through the transition to a new park, a new manager and an entirely new front office after an unprecedented scandal obliterated the infrastructure he knew. The direction has since shifted, with the Braves sitting in first place in late August. It wouldn’t make sense to leave now, would it? “Everybody’s who’s been a part of it the last couple years wants to be here for the next five,” Flowers said. “Because there are some good things happening right now. I think there’s going to be a lot of good things happening in the next couple years as well. So hopefully this will turn into a couple more at least and be part of something special. “It’s pretty easy being at home with your home team, playing for the team you’ve always wanted to play for since you were a little kid. Any time they want me to come back again, I’m probably going to take it.” The Braves have a $2 million buyout after 2019 if they so choose. Retaining Flowers is an important pre-winter footnote. He and Kurt Suzuki, who’ve shared catching duties the past two years, were on expiring deals. As Flowers noted, he also avoids a free-agency process that was unkind to players last winter. The Bryce Harper and Manny Machado types will be rewarded, but questions persist if this market will be reminiscent of last, when teams and players simply couldn’t agree on value, resulting in long-standing free-agency stints for many. Some didn’t find deals until spring training or the regular season, if at all. Given the Braves’ believed aspirations of landing a premier backstop, they will likely wait on Suzuki, who could certainly be awarded a starting job with another team. The Marlins’ J.T. Realmuto and Dodgers’ free agent Yasmani Grandal are frequently mentioned as catching targets, but the Braves may determine their resources are better spent elsewhere. Flowers provides insurance if that’s the case, a necessary buffer with the team lacking depth in the upper minors. He’s accepting of a backup role, and if he became such, he’d be among the most handsomely compensated reserves in the sport. Either way, he’ll share the workload with another battery in 2019. “I’m glad because if you lose a guy like that, you don’t know where you’re going to replace him,” manager Brian Snitker said. “There are not a whole lot of catchers out there who are available. We don’t have (depth), organizationally – Alex (Jackson) is close, but I don’t know if he’s ready for that yet. So it’s good to have Tyler under wraps.” Since joining the Braves, Flowers has hit .264 with 25 homers and 110 RBIs across 243 games. He’s slashed .225/.357/.335 in 61 games this season. But his leadership, well-regarded pitch framing and how he handles young pitchers make his production transcend numbers. “That’s something I’ve been pretty good at throughout the course of my career,” he said. “I’ve always valued that more than hitting .300 with 30 (homers). That’d be great to do one day, but wouldn’t want to do it sacrificing anything behind the plate. I think that was part of (the Braves’) thinking.” The Braves are set for an active winter. They’ll have flexibility, both financially and with prospects, and motivation to be aggressive, unlike previous years. Securing Flowers early, and keeping his positive influence in an increasingly young clubhouse, seems to be an early victory. “I felt like this was a very fair deal,” Flowers said. And it looks like the Braves agreed.<doc-sep>Flowers has slashed .225/.357/.335 in 61 games this season. He’s highly regarded for his pitch framing, and his handling of younger pitchers has been paramount for the 2018 Braves. The 32-year-old hails from Roswell. He’s hit .264 with a .775 OPS across 243 games with the Braves from 2016-18. He’s added 25 homers and 110 RBIs over that span, while splitting time with Kurt Suzuki over the past two seasons.<doc-sep>The Atlanta Braves announced a one-year contract extension for catcher Tyler Flowers on Tuesday. Flowers will receive $4 million in base salary for the 2019 season, plus a $6-million option for 2020. While the 32-year-old's numbers have dropped in 2018, it is possible that all of his injuries this year have had an impact. The veteran catcher underwent surgery on his wrist and forearm this past offseason, and he dealt with groin soreness during spring training. After suffering a strained left oblique near the end of March, he missed nearly all of the month of April this season. Flowers is slashing .225/.357/.335 with five home runs, six doubles and 20 RBI in 61 games this season. Flowers' salary is affordable enough that he could be moved from a part-time catcher to a backup role if the Braves try to go out and acquire a starter like Yasmani Grandal or J.T. Realmuto this offseason in free agency. Kurt Suzuki, Flowers' partner in the Braves' catching pair, has hit .264 this season with nine home runs and 39 RBI in 84 games. The 34-year-old is set to hit free agency this winter, and there's a chance he could be moving on from Atlanta. With William Contreras still a few years away from being in consideration for the big league catcher job, the Braves were proactive in securing at least one of Flowers and Suzuki for the 2019 season.<doc-sep>
The Atlanta Braves announced today that they have signed Tyler Flowers to an extension that will keep Flowers a Brave through 2019 and perhaps even 2020. The extension the Atlanta Braves signed today will guarantee Tyler Flowers $4 million for 2019, with a club option valued at $6 million for 2020, with a $2 million buyout. Flowers is guaranteed at least $6 million for the next 2 years. Jon Heyman was the first to report the deal on Twitter. Interesting to note, he also includes this deal reportedly will not prevent the Braves making a run at a more established backstop this offseason if someone like Realmuto were to become available again. Reports also include that Flowers has thoroughly enjoyed his stay in Atlanta and the front office and coaching staff love having Flowers on the roster. Flowers was drafted by the Braves in both the 2004 and 2005 drafts eventually signing after 2005 out of Chipola College. He would go on to become a top prospect in the Braves organization, but he was traded in 2008 along with other prospects to the White Sox for Boone Logan and Javier Vazquez. He played on the South Side in Chicago until the 2015 season when he signed with the Atlanta Braves in free agency. Flowers is a highly regarded “pitch framer” but is very passable as a hitter as well. His best season was just last year when he hit .281 with 12 HR and 49 RBI. His OPS was .823 all while splitting time with Kurt Suzuki. All those numbers were either career highs or right below being career highs. This season, Flowers has battled injuries since opening day where he suffered a strained oblique but has begun hitting better as the season has worn on, with expected stats based on his hit angle and exit velocity predicting much better success than he’s had. He’s also walked at a career-high 13%+ rate this season. Want your voice heard? Join the Tomahawk Take team! Write for us! It will be interesting to see whether the Atlanta Braves will opt to use Flowers in a backup role, or if they find someone to continue to use him in the same role they have the past 3 seasons. Either way, Tyler Flowers will remain an Atlanta Braves player following the 2018 season and continue his career in Atlanta.