The Atlanta Braves have exercised their 2018 contract option on catcher Tyler Flowers, while declining their option on right-handed pitcher R.A. Dickey.
The 2018 campaign will mark Flowers' third with the Braves and his 10th in Major League Baseball. He batted a career-best .281 (89-for-317) with 12 home runs and 49 RBI in 2017 and in his two seasons since joining Atlanta as a free agent, he has hit .276 with an .801 OPS. Known for his excellent pitch framing ability, Flowers got a called strike on an MLB-high 7.98% of pitches out of the strike zone this past season, according to MLB's StatCast. The next closest qualifying catcher (Martín Maldonado of the Los Angeles Angels) ended the season at 6.67%.
Flowers, 31, underwent arthroscopic debridement surgery on his left wrist on October 9. The procedure was performed in Atlanta by Braves Head Team Physician Dr. Gary Lourie, and Flowers is expected to be fully ready for the start of spring training.
Flowers combined with fellow catcher Kurt Suzuki to hit .283 (168-for-594) with 30 home runs, 98 RBI and a .364 on-base percentage in 2017. Braves catchers ranked second in the majors in OBP, third in average, tied for third in homers and fourth in RBI. The Braves signed Suzuki to a one-year contract extension on September 23.
Dickey, 42, just completed his 15th Major League campaign and went 10-10 with a 4.26 ERA in 31 starts. He made his 300th career start and 400th career appearance in his final turn of the season on September 26 at New York (he had no decision in the 4-3 loss). He reached the 30-start mark in six of the last seven seasons, dating to 2011, and owns a career record of 120-118 with a 4.04 ERA in 2073.2 innings pitched.