Wilmer Flores has exercised his $3.5M player option for the 2025 season, the Giants announced. Flores signed a three-year, $16.5M extension with the Giants in September 2022 that allowed him to opt out of the 2025 season, and the club would’ve then had an $8.5M club option to decide on if Flores did opt out.
Of course, this all became a moot point due to an injury-marred 2024 season for the veteran infielder. Flores was bothered by knee problems all year, resulting in a pair of trips to the injured list and a season-ending Tenex procedure in early August. Flores concluded his 12th Major League season with an ugly .206/.277/.318 slash line over 242 plate appearances and a sub-replacement level -0.7 fWAR in 71 games.
It made Flores’ decision to exercise his option a pretty easy call, and the $3.5M salary is low enough that it wouldn’t be a surprise if San Francisco chose to move on from the 33-year-old entirely in the form of a release. A trade also isn’t out of the question if another team views Flores as a bounce-back candidate, or the Giants themselves might see Flores as a useful player to keep around if they feel he’ll return to form when healthy.
After all, it was just a season ago that Flores hit .284/.355/.509 with 23 homers for San Francisco during 454 PA during the 2023 campaign. Flores’ ability to play first, second and third base and his traditionally strong numbers against left-handed pitching made him a valuable member of the Giants’ platoon mix prior to this past season. The Giants have been rumored to be in the mix for a bigger upgrade at first base, but if such help isn’t acquired, the team could fall back on a Flores/LaMonte Wade Jr. platoon at the cold corner.
