Braves hope to reactivate Tyler Flowers this weekend

Tyler Flowers #25 of the Atlanta Braves hits a fifth inning grand slam against the Cincinnati Reds at SunTrust Park on August 20, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Credit: Scott Cunningham

Credit: Scott Cunningham

Tyler Flowers #25 of the Atlanta Braves hits a fifth inning grand slam against the Cincinnati Reds at SunTrust Park on August 20, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

The Braves are hopeful catcher Tyler Flowers will be activated from the disabled list this weekend.

Flowers was placed on the DL Aug. 30 after taking a foul ball off the wrist during a game in Philadelphia. Flowers was baseball’s best pitch-framer, and paired with Kurt Suzuki to form one of the better catching duos in the majors.

“I’m hoping this weekend,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “He’s been hitting and everything. I’m hoping when his 10 days are up we can get him back active.”

Snitker said Monday that Flowers was progressing faster than expected. Flowers said he’s been feeling good.

“He’s actually coming around a little quicker, with all the bruising he had,” Snitker said. “We’ll see him sooner rather than later, see him hitting a bit. With the number of bruises he had in that hand and wrist, I think he’s coming around a lot better than what he anticipated in the beginning.”

The 31-year-old from Roswell has had a career-year for the Braves. His .279 average, .376 on-base percentage, .446 slugging percentage and .823 OPS are all personal bests. He’s homered five times in 87 second-half at-bats.

The hit-by-pitch that injured Flowers was the 18th time he’s been pegged, third-most in the bigs.