When the Braves made the Tyler Flowers contract official Wednesday and added the catcher to their previously full 40-man roster, they created a spot by outrighting outfielder Dian Toscano to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Flowers, from Marietta and drafted by the Braves a decade ago, agreed Dec. 8 to a two-year, $5.3 million contract that includes a $4 million team option with a $300,000 buyout. He can also earn up to $1.5 million in incentives each year in the deal. He became a free agent after being non-tendered by the White Sox last month.
Flowers will split catching duties with A.J. Pierzynski, who turns 39 on Dec. 30 and re-signed a one-year deal with the Braves after a resurgent season in 2015.
Toscano, 26, is the Cuban defector who signed a four-year, $6 million free-agent contract with the Braves in December 2014. He was forced to sit out the entire 2015 season due to governmental red tape before he was finally cleared last month to begin playing. He wasn’t paid his $800,000 salary in 2015 while on the restricted list, and is under contract for three more seasons.
After sitting out a year, Toscano has struggled early in the Puerto Rican Winter League, batting .200 (5-for-25) with one double, two walks and 10 strikeouts in six games before Wednesday.
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