Wilmer Flores held out hope that he would land a major league deal in 2026, but that has not come to fruition yet. The SF Giants fan-favorite infielder has shifted gears and agreed to join Toros De Tijuana of the Mexican League, per a team announcement.
Former SF Giants fan-favorite finds a new home in the Mexican League for 2026
It is hard to believe that Flores made his major league debut with the New York Mets in 2013, and is still only 34 years old. He has appeared in 13 seasons, six of which have come with the Giants.
The veteran bat joined San Francisco before the 2020 season, and quickly established himself as a popular player among the fanbase and clubhouse. This culminated with him winning the Willie Mac Award in 2022.
Flores has been a leader in the clubhouse and a steady performer in the field. He always had a knack for the clutch hit and typically gave the Giants leverage against left-handed pitching.
The right-handed bat’s best season came in 2023, when he posted an .863 OPS with 23 home runs and 60 RBI in 454 plate appearances. He battled a nagging knee injury in 2024 and eventually underwent a season-ending knee procedure.
Flores returned to the club in 2025 after accepting his side of the mutual option. He got off to a strong start, and continued to show that knack for situational hitting. Overall, he put up a .686 OPS with 16 home runs and 71 RBI in 463 plate appearances.
Flores received a much-deserved send-off from the fanbase in the final game of the year. His contract was expiring, and there likely was not room on the roster for him to return.
The veteran infielder had experience all around the infield, but his playing time in recent seasons was increasingly limited to DH and first base. The Giants have coverage at those positions for the forseeable future with Rafael Devers and Bryce Eldridge.
Eldridge did not make the club out of camp, but the Giants are hopeful that he can help the club out this season. In the meantime, they will likely lean on Jerar Encarnación as the primary DH, but there are a handful of options who could get some at-bats at DH.
On the other hand, the Mexican League features numerous former major leaguers. Toros de Tijuana are coming off a strong year where they posted a 54-38 record while finishing in second place in the Norte Division.
