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Catcher Flores' Heroics Power Pirates Past Royals
2 Oct
Summary
- Flores hit a go-ahead home run after being brushed back.
- He was acquired in a trade for closer David Bednar.
- Flores wants to be known as a complete defensive player.
Rafael Flores Jr. demonstrated his commitment to the Pittsburgh Pirates by hitting a go-ahead home run on September 20th, securing a win against the Kansas City Royals. The catcher’s dramatic two-run blast in the eighth inning overcame a deficit, solidifying a 4-3 victory.
Flores was acquired by the Pirates at the 2025 trade deadline in a deal that sent closer David Bednar to the Yankees. Despite offers for more highly-regarded prospects, the Pirates specifically requested Flores, a hitting catcher, making his transition to Pittsburgh more comfortable.
Called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on July 8th after an injury to Endy Rodríguez, Flores made significant contributions. He finished the year with a .264 batting average, 11 home runs, and 25 RBIs in 47 games, focusing on a simple offensive approach.
Defensively, Flores showed notable improvement, recording his first career caught stealing and ending the season strong by throwing out nearly a quarter of attempted base stealers. He aspires to be a complete player, excelling in all aspects of defense and aiming to be a catcher pitchers trust daily.
Flores' emergence from the fourth catcher on the depth chart to a strong candidate for the primary backstop position next year was a welcome surprise for the Pirates. He remains focused on consistency and daily production.
