SF Giants infielder Wilmer Flores sets career-high for home runs

Sep 6, 2023, 9:04 AM

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 27: Wilmer Flores #41 of the San Francisco Giants during the gam...

(Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

If Major League Baseball selected All-Stars at the end of the season rather than the middle, Wilmer Flores would be a lock for the National League roster.

Flores, an 11-year MLB veteran, is enjoying a career year for the San Francisco Giants in 2023 in a season that has seen the infielder post career highs in several categories with three weeks remaining in the regular season.

The 32-year-old set a new career-high in home runs during Thursday’s game in San Diego before adding on with his 21st long-ball of the season on Tuesday in Chicago.

Over 106 appearances this season, Flores leads the Giants in batting average (.288), home runs (21), slugging percentage (.535), and on-base plus slugging percentage (.889).

Wilmer Flores – San Francisco Giants (21) pic.twitter.com/OPMgog4u0V

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 6, 2023

San Francisco has infamously been searching for its first 30-home-run hitter since Barry Bonds’ departure, and while Flores might not become the first Giant to hit 30+ home runs since Bonds did so in 2004, he’s been a bright light for an offense that has lost its way over the past month of action.

After posting a 12-15 record in August, San Francisco has lost five straight games to open up September as they attempt to hold firm in the National League Wild Card race.

While the Giants have hit .232 as a team over the past 20 games, Flores has carried his weight on offense and turned into this team’s primary power hitter.

Coming into the 2020 season–Flores’ first with San Francisco–the infielder had hit 18 home runs during a season once in his career (2017).

Here are Flores’ numbers through his first four seasons in a Giants uniform:

2o2o: 12 HR | 32 RBI | .515 SLG (55 games)
2021: 18 HR | 53 RBI | .447 SLG (139 games)
2022: 19 HR| 71 RBI | .391 SLG (151 games)
2023: 21 HR | 51 RBI | .535 SLG (106 games)

Flores’ two-year, $13 million deal that runs through the 2024 season (with an $8.5 million team option or $3.5 million player option for 2025) is looking like one of the better bargain contracts in baseball.