Right-handed hitter Tyler Flowers was in the lineup against Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia on Friday but Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said the pitching matchup isn’t the primary factor in whether Flowers or lefty A.J. Pierzynski starts at catcher.
“It’s whoever is swinging the bat,” Gonzalez said. “Whoever contributes is going to play. It would be great if you could go one against lefty and one against ‘righty’ and they both contribute. But I’m open. Let it play out a little bit.”
Pierzynski, 39, ended up starting 113 games last season because Christian Bethancourt struggled and Pierzynski had a resurgent year offensively. The Braves signed Flowers in December so they’d have a veteran who can spell Pierzynski, and they later traded Bethancourt to the Padres.
Advanced statistics rate Flowers as a better defender over his career than Pierzynski, who was involved in two defensive miscues at the plate against the Nationals in the first two games.
In the opener Pierzynski couldn’t handle outfielder Ender Incarte’s bouncing throw, allowing the tying run to score with two outs in the ninth inning. In the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game Pierzynski didn’t get his glove on Freddie Freeman’s throw slightly behind him as the Nationals tied the game (Freeman was charged with an error).
Gonzalez said it’s possible he could end up starting Pierzynski against right-handers and Flowers against lefties, or match them up with certain Braves pitchers.
“We are not there,” Gonzalez said. “It’s only been two games.”
