Known for his ability to crush southpaws, Wilmer Flores is continuing to hit against right handed pitching as well.
Flores went 2-for-4 yesterday with a double against Pirates’ right handed starter Trevor Williams, and raised his batting average against righties to .289 on the season. Earlier in the week, Flores homered off right handed pitchers, Tyler Glasnow, and Brewer’s reliever, Jacob Barnes.
“As long as he’s swinging the way he’s swinging,” Terry Collins said of Flores, “you got to get him in there.” (Daniel Popper, NY Daily News)
Flores is batting .379 since the start of May, and he is starting to receive more playing time from Collins. He has started four of the last five games in favor of the struggling Jose Reyes, though Collins has not committed to Flores as the full time starter at third base as of yet.
“Tomorrow could be a different day,” Collins said to reporters following Friday’s game. “I’ll write the lineup tomorrow which gives me my best chance to win.”
Last season, Flores’ splits against lefties and righties were massive. He hit .340 with 11 homeruns against lefties in 107 plate appearances, but batted .232 with five homeruns against right handed pitchers in 228 times to the plate.
He is continuing to rake against lefties this year with two homeruns and seven hits against them in 26 plate appearances, and he is shedding the platoon label with his newfound success against righties.
In 119 overall plate appearances this season, Flores is batting .313/.336/.496 with 5 homeruns and 16 RBI.
