SF Giants fan favorite may have played his final game with the team

It was just announced that SF Giants fan favorite Wilmer Flores will undergo season-ending knee surgery. This is tough news since Flores is such a well-liked player and may be even tougher because it could mean he has played his last game as a Giant.

Wilmer Flores may have played his last game with the SF Giants

Flores was struggling mightily this season. It seems like injuries were bugging him all year which limited his output greatly. His slash line for 2024 will be .206/.277/.318 with 4 home runs and 26 RBI. That is a far cry from the .284/.355/.509 with 23 homers and 60 RBI that he posted last year.

He was the best hitter the Giants had last season, especially in the second half when their offense cratered and Flores was really the only reliable contributor. That is why it was so surprising to see such a regression this year but that is what can happen when injuries pop up.

Even in the offseason it seemed like he would have a diminished role on the team with the additions of Matt Chapman at third base and Jorge Soler at DH. Those were two spots Flores has seen a lot of time at, but he was still used a decent amount this year against left-handed pitching and at first base after LaMonte Wade Jr. went down with an injury.

There is also a chance that Flores will not be on the Giants next season. Flores has a player option this offseason which would bring him back to the Giants for $3.5 million next season. If he declines, then the Giants have a $8.5 million club option that they will almost certainly not exercise.

However, even if he does accept the $3.5 million player option, the Giants may decide to cut him to make room for another player on the roster, likely a younger one. That move would not come without controversy since Wilmer is such a well-liked player and has been a leader on the team in recent years. But we have seen that this front office is not afraid to be ruthless like when they released J.D. Davis earlier this year after signing Matt Chapman.

We know that it is has not been Wilmer's day, his week, his month, or even his year, but Giants fans will always be there for him for how he has endeared himself while playing for the Giants. Whether he is on the team next year or not, let's hope he has a speedy recovery and gets back to playing the way we all know he is capable of.