Tyler Flowers leaves opening-day game with injury

Braves catcher Tyler Flowers exited Thursday’s game in the second inning with left oblique discomfort.

Flowers missed most of spring training with a groin injury, registering only 19 at-bats. He underwent surgery in October to to repair a damaged forearm and wrist.

“I think it was the swing prior to the swing that I went out there,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said after the game. “It doesn’t look real good. Those things (oblique injuries) are nasty, as we know.”

The 32-year-old insisted he would be full-go for opening day, but the lingering groin issue persuaded the Braves to keep three catchers on their initial 25-man roster in Flowers, Kurt Suzuki and Chris Stewart.

Suzuki subbed in at catcher.

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