Rafael Flores Jr. has made a habit of treating the biggest moments like they’re exactly where he belongs, and the Pirates are noticing.
On Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, the rookie catcher took a 98 mph fastball from Nate Pearson up and in in the eighth inning, then answered with one of the more memorable lines of the season.
“I will die in this situation,” Flores said. “If he throws one more fastball up and in, I’m gonna stick my nose in it.”
Pearson didn’t go there again. He came with a slider down and in, and Flores hammered it 426 feet into the left-field seats.
The blast gave Pittsburgh a 4-3 win and capped the Pirates’ second straight game decided by a go-ahead eighth-inning home run, after Brandon Lowe delivered Saturday.
Flores wasn’t done explaining the mindset that led to the swing.
“It’s either he whacks me, or I whack him,” Flores said. “I whacked him.”
That line will get plenty of attention, and so will his later comment that sometimes “you have to lay your nuts down and stick your nose in there.” But the larger story is simpler: the Pirates trust him because he doesn’t flinch.
Pearson had already hit Nick Gonzales with a 96 mph sinker Saturday, and Flores admitted that was on his mind when he stepped in Sunday. When the pitcher came near his head, Flores didn’t back off or let the at-bat get away from him. He stayed in it, waited for the mistake, and crushed it.
Manager Don Kelly said Flores has developed “a knack” for delivering in those spots, and the numbers back up the feeling around him. In 43 games, Flores is hitting .286/.354/.556 with 10 home runs, six doubles and 22 RBI.
Even more important for Pittsburgh, he has become the club’s primary catcher and looks increasingly comfortable handling that role. That wasn’t the expectation when he arrived in the David Bednar trade, when questions lingered about whether his defense would hold up behind the plate and whether his bat would play in the majors.
Now, with six games left in a season that will end without October baseball, Flores has given the Pirates something to think about. Catcher may be one less problem for them this winter.
And if they need someone willing to stand in against 98 mph when the game is on the line, Flores has already answered that question.
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Manager Don Kelly has pointed to Cruzs growth and resilience as a major part of that progress, and it is easy to see why. For a player still building his track record, three straight years in the 20-20 club is the sort of accomplishment that puts him in unusual company, especially when it comes with a comeback from injury and a strong finish after a long absence. The bigger question now is how much more he can stack on that resume before the year is done. [Read more 🡒]