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The Atlanta Braves are bringing back Tyler Flowers for the 2020 season according to a report by MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. Flowers, who had a $6 million option for next season, has reportedly agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal.
Source: The Braves will bring Tyler Flowers back with a 1-year, $4 million deal. Because Flowers' $6M option was declined, he received the $2M buyout. So, he's still getting $6M. It's just an accounting procedure that allows for just $4M to count toward the 2020 payroll.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) November 4, 2019
As Bowman mentions above, the Braves actually declined Flowers’ option which triggered a $2 million buyout. So that along with his new one-year deal will get him the full $6 million that was originally on his deal, however only $4 million will count towards the 2020 payroll.
Flowers’ offensive production was down in 2019 as he hit just .229/.319/.413 with 11 home runs and an 88 wRC+ while his K% climbed to a career-worst 33.9%. Still he is regarded as one of the better pitch framers in the league and with no other experienced internal options, the Braves really didn’t have much of a choice other than bringing him back.
The team has yet to make this move official. The Braves will also have to make a decision on right-hander Julio Teheran and outfielder Nick Markakis who both hold contract options for next season.