Rafael Flores Jr.’s colorful quote captures why Pirates trust him in big moments

Rafael Flores Jr. might have delivered the best explanation possible for why the Pittsburgh Pirates have grown so comfortable putting him in important situations.

It was colorful. It was slightly unhinged. And it perfectly captured the mentality that has helped turn one of Pittsburgh’s biggest preseason question marks into one of its most pleasant surprises.

After Kansas City Royals pitcher Nate Pearson buzzed Flores with a 98 mph fastball up and in during the eighth inning Sunday, Flores made himself a promise.

“I will die in this situation,” Flores said. “If he throws one more fastball up and in, I’m gonna stick my nose in it.”

Pearson instead threw a slider down and in, and Flores launched it 426 feet into the left-field seats.

The two-run homer gave the Pirates a 4-3 win over the Royals and marked the second straight game Pittsburgh won on a go-ahead eighth-inning home run, following Brandon Lowe’s blast Saturday.

But Flores wasn’t finished explaining his approach.

“It’s either he whacks me, or I whack him,” Flores said. “I whacked him.”

That quote will understandably get most of the attention. His later declaration that sometimes “you have to lay your nuts down and stick your nose in there” probably will, too.

Underneath all of it, though, is exactly what the Pirates have come to appreciate about Flores. He doesn’t scare easily.

Pearson had drilled Nick Gonzales with a 96 mph sinker Saturday, something Flores admitted was on his mind when he stepped into the box. Then Pearson came near Flores’ head Sunday.

There would have been nothing unusual about a young hitter getting uncomfortable, opening up early or allowing Pearson to dictate the at-bat. But Flores did the opposite. He dug in. And when Pearson made the next mistake, Flores punished him.

Another big Rafael Flores Jr. moment shows just how valuable he has become to Pirates

Manager Don Kelly noted afterward that Flores has developed “a knack” for producing in those situations, and his rookie numbers increasingly suggest this isn’t just a fleeting hot streak.

Through 43 games, Flores is batting .286/.354/.556 with 10 home runs, six doubles and 22 RBI. More importantly for Pittsburgh’s future, he has taken over as the club’s primary catcher and increasingly looks comfortable with both the responsibility and the pressure that come with the position.

That wasn’t necessarily the expectation when Flores arrived in the David Bednar trade. There were questions about whether his defense would allow him to remain behind the plate and whether his bat would translate against major league pitching. He has spent the second half answering both.

There are six games left in a season that will end without October baseball, but Flores has used his opportunity to make a compelling case that catcher might be one fewer position Pittsburgh needs to worry about this winter.

And if the Pirates need someone willing to stand in against 98 mph with a game hanging in the balance? Flores has already made his mindset perfectly clear.

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