Wilmer Flores

At 32 years old, Wilmer Flores has this physical status:

Wilmer Alejandro Flores Garcia (born August 6, 1991) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder who is a free agent.

He has played for the New York Mets from 2013 to 2018 and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019.

Early life

Soledy Garca and Wilmer Flores are his parents. Flores first picked up a bat at age 6 and taught himself how to swing. After being impressed with his abilities, the young agent, who was impressed with his education, steered him to the Agua Linda Academy. For the first time, Flores were given formal instruction.

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Professional career

Flores signed as a foreign free agent with the New York Mets on August 6, 2007, his 16th birthday. He bought his mother a new Hyundai Sonata but was unaware how to drive due to his $750,000 signing bonus. Before the 2009 (#47), 2010 (#88), and 2011 (#59) seasons, he was rated in the top 100 prospects by Baseball America.

At the 2009 All-Star Futures Game, Flores opened at second base for the World team. He was also selected to the Baseball America Rookie All-Star Team (2008), the APP All-Star Team (2008), the MiLB.com Organization All-Star Team (2010), and the South Atlantic League All-Star Team (2010).

Flores was sent by the Mets of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League (FSL) in 2011 to turn him from a shortstop to a third baseman. Flores was selected at third base for the FSL All-Star Game in 2012. In 2013, he went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three runs batted, earning Most Valuable Player awards. For the second time in his career, he also appeared in the All-Star Futures Game. During the 2012 season, the Mets promoted Flores to the Binghamton Mets of the Class AA Eastern League. In 66 games with 8 home runs, 33 RBIs, and 20 walks, he finished the 2012 season with Binghamton batting.311/.494.

The Las Vegas 51s of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League began the 2013 season. In 107 games, he batted.321/.531; 357/.531; and 25 walks.

On August 6, the day of his 22nd birthday, he was promoted to the Mets' major league roster. Bobby Parnell was put on the injured list with a herniated disk in his neck to make room for Flores on the roster. In the sixth inning, he made his debut against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field, going 0-for-4 on the plate and making an error. The Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 32-0. He hit a single in the bottom of the second inning off Rockies pitcher Jhoulys Chacn on August 7. Manny Corpas hit a base clearing double off pitcher Manny Corpas in the bottom of the eight innings with bases loaded. The Mets would win 5–0. He hit his first home run, a solo home run to right field off Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Heath Bell in the ninth inning, extending the Mets lead to 9-5. With a batting average of.211 in 95 plate appearances, he completed the 2013 season with 20 hits, 13 RBIs, 1 home run, 8 runs scored, and striking out 23 times.

Flores started the 2014 season with the Las Vegas 51s in AAA, but they were summoned along with Kyle Farnsworth on April 2 to upgrade Bobby Parnell's disabled list and with Daniel Murphy on paternity leave. On April 6, he will be recalled back to the 51s to make room for Jon Niese, who will be able to be recalled from the disabled list. With two strikeouts, the Flores had only started one game at second base going 0-for-4. On May 9, he was recalled with Omar Quintanilla being recalled for service. Flores scored his first career grand slam against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 2nd. With two outs, the slammed came in the top of the ninth inning off pitcher Phillippe Aumont, extending the lead 11–2 to which the Mets won. Flores was sent back to the 51s on June 26 to make room for Juan Lagares who had been omitted from the disabled list. Kirk Nieuwenhuis was recalled for good on July 24, with Kirk Nieuwenhuis being sent to the 51s. Flores finished off the 2014 season with a batting average of.251 in 259 at-bats in 274 plate appearances, compiling 65 hits, 29 RBIs, 6 home runs, 12 runs scored, and striking out 31 times.

Flores made the Mets' roster for Opening Day in 2015. Flores struggled offensively and defensively during the first week of the season, with three errors and hitting.158 in seven games. Flores batted.364 with three home runs in nine games after the first week. Flores came in third place in all baseball in errors committed shortly after, with six of them tied for third place. Flores became the first National League position player to reach a grand slam batting ninth in a National League baseballpark on May 16. Matt Garza, a Milwaukee Brewers pitcher, was credited with the home run at Citi Field. It was his second grand slam in his career. Flores was tied for most home runs struck by a shortstop with seven runs, with Jhonny Peralta of the St. Louis Cardinals tied for the most home runs hit by a shortstop on May 26. Flores scored in the second outs scoring Juan Lagares for his second RBI of the game on the same day on his first walk-off of his career, a single, off Phillies' pitcher Elvis Arajo in the bottom of the tenth inning.

Flores had been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, as well as pitcher Zack Wheeler for Carlos Gómez, according to rumors during a game against the San Diego Padres on July 29. Despite the rumors, Flores stayed in the game and became extremely upbeat when he returned to the field as fans began to give him a standing ovation. Flores later expressed his dissatisfaction with learning that he would leave the only baseball team he had ever known. Following the game, however, GM Sandy Alderson informed the media that no trade had occurred, boasting that "social media got ahead of the facts." Terry Collins, the Mets' manager, told reporters that he knew nothing about the trade and had told Flores while the game was over, "I don't know what's going on, but I do know what's going on, let's play baseball." Later, the Mets resigned out of the trade after a physical examination revealed an injury with his hip.

Flores' first walk-off home run, a solo home run, off Washington Nationals pitcher Felipe Rivero, two days later, on July 31. The Mets won a crucial game by a score of 2–1. It happened in the bottom of the 12th inning on a 1–1 count with no outs, losing by a score of 2–1. He memorably tugged at the "Mets" logo on his uniform front, signaling how delighted he was to have remained with the team as Flores approached home plate finishing his circle around the bases. In the other Mets' run, the Flores were also fueled earlier in the game. Flores received a standing ovation from the Mets' fans during each bat. The victory brought the Mets within two games of first place in the NL East. Flores became a fan-favorite of Mets fans and was given standing ovations in the subsequent weeks, both at home and away games. During the 2015 season, it was also the first walk-off home run for the Mets. He hit.343 with a.993 OPS and four home runs at this time, after the failed trade on August 25, 2017. After that day, the Mets went 16–6.

The Flores finished the 2015 season with a batting average of.263 in 483 at-bats in 510 plate appearances. He had 127 hits, 16 home runs, 59 RBIs, 55 runs scored, 19 walks, and struck out 63 times.

Flores struck out 4 times in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting.300 in four games, including 3 hits, 1 double, 2 walks, 2 runs scored, and 2 runs batting out 4 times. In four games against the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS, he batted.286, 1 double, 1 triple, 1 stolen base, 1 stolen base, and striking out 2 times. Ruben Tejada of the Mets was hospitalized by Chase Utley of the Dodgers during the series against the Dodgers. The accident resulted in a broken leg for Tejada and ended in a controversial slide that was deemed dirty by many. For the remainder of the season, the Flores played shortstop. Flores played fine defense but he had trouble getting to the more important defensive position, but they were unable to hit. He was the last out of the World Series, beating Kansas City Royals closer Wade Davis in game five to clinch the series for the Royals. Flores were in all five games, batting.059 with 1 hit, 2 runs scored, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts.

After being struck by a pitch in Venezuela in winter baseball, Flores suffered a fractured left ankle.

Flores was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring injury, and Sean Gilmartin took his place on the roster on May 12. Flores had a batting average of.180 with one home run and two RBIs in 50 at bats this season, when he was playing in first, second, and third base as a defensive replacement for Lucas Duda, Neil Walker, and David Wright respectively. Flores was activated from the DL on May 29 with Matt Reynolds being sent down to make room for him on the roster. Flores had batted.235 with one RBI and four hits in five rehab games with the Binghamton Mets.

Flores became only the second Mets player to have six hits in a game on July 3, the first being fellow Venezuelan infielder Edgardo Alfonzo, who did so in August 1999. He improved his batting average 31 points from.224 to.255 in doing so. C. J. Cron was the first player in Major League Baseball to do so since Charlie Blackmon on April 4, 2014.

Flores sustained his wrist in a home plate brawl with Atlanta Braves catcher A. J. Pierzynski on September 10, a catcher with Atlanta Braves. The Mets reported on September 30 that Flores would miss the remainder of the year, including the postseason. Flores underwent surgery on October 7 to have a portion of the hamate bone in his wrist removed.

He batted.267/.319/.469.469.

The Mets placed Flores on the 10-day disabled list with a knee injury that required hospitalization and IV therapy. In the second game of a double-header against the Houston Astros on September 2, Flores broke his nose on a foul tip, which ended his season. Flores batted in 336 runs in 2017 for his 2017 season. 307/.488 with 18 home runs and 52 runs batted in 31 runs.

Flores' victory over the Brewers came after they hit a walk-off home run on April 15, 2018. This was his third home run in his career. Flores rode in the winning streak against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the top of the 10th inning on June 26, giving the Mets a 4–3 victory. He had been driving in the Mets' first two runs earlier in the game. The game champion of Flores had his ninth walk-off RBI of his young career. He tied David Wright for the most walk-off RBIs in Mets history. Flores hit a pinch-hit home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first game of a doubleheader on July 9, smashing Wright's record for the most walk-off RBIs of any player in Mets franchise history. He batted.267/.319/.417 in 2018.

Flores agreed to a one-year, $4.25 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on January 21, 2019. In 89 games for the Diamondbacks, he had.317/.361/.487 with 9 home runs and 37 RBIs in 265 at bats. Flores scored a home run off former teammate Jacob deGrom's return to Citi Field on September 9, who was greeted with applause. The Flores were also sent a homecoming video from the team before the game, becoming the first player to be granted one since Daniel Murphy in 2016.

Flores signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the San Francisco Giants on February 4, 2020, including a third-year option. Flores led the team in home runs with 12 runs and finished second on the team in RBIs (32) and runs (30), while he batted.315/.515 in 198 at bats in 2020. He played 14 games at first base, 14 games at second base, and three games at third base.

Flores batted.262/.447 for a career-high 57 runs, 18 home runs, and 53 RBIs in 389 at bats in the 2021 regular season. He played 58 games at third base, 34 games at first base, and 30 games at second base.

Flores was given the Willie Mac Award by September 30, 2022, and has been voted on and praised by San Francisco Giants teammates, coaches, trainers, and followers for their contributions both on the track and off the field.

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