Tyler Flowers has progressed significantly in the past couple of days, and the Braves hope to have the veteran catcher back in the lineup Thursday.
He’s missed six games with a bruised left hand after he was hit by a pitch, something that’s happened to Flowers with greater frequency than any other other player in the majors (19 times in 342 plate appearances, once every 18 PAs).
Flowers spent 10 days on the disabled list for a left-wrist contusion from a foul tip, was activated Sept. 8, then was hit by a pitch in the left hand in his third game back Sept. 13.
He hasn’t played since, and manager Brian Snitker indicated Tuesday that Flowers hadn’t responded as well as hoped to treatment and might not be back before the weekend.
But that status changed after Flowers took batting practice later Tuesday and told Snitker the hand felt a lot better. Snitker said Wednesday he’d see how Flowers felt after another workout but that he could be back to catcher knuckleballer R.A. Dickey’s start Thursday against the Nationals.
“I’m hoping Tyler comes out and works out good because he hit (Tuesday), and I was talking to him during the game (Tuesday night),” Snitker said. “I’m hoping he can handle R.A. (Thursday), if everything goes good and he feels good.”
Flowers, a Roswell native, is having one of his finest seasons, batting .286 with a .380 OBP and .449 slugging percentage, all of which would be career highs. He has 11 homers and 47 RBIs, his second-best totals in each.
