San Francisco Giants first baseman Wilmer Flores (41) flashes a heart gesture to someone in the stands after running out his third home run of the game against the Athletics during the eighth inning at Oracle Park on May 16. D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Unheralded San Francisco Giants Slugger Joins Barry Bonds in Amazing Team History

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Brady Farkas | Last updated May 17, 2025 10:30 AM ET

The San Francisco Giants routed the Athletics 9-1 on Friday night at Oracle Park, taking game one of the interleague "rivalry weekend" series.

With the win, the Giants are now 26-19 and in third place in the National League West. The A's are 22-23 and in fourth place in the jumbled American League West.

Giants infielder Wilmer Flores carried the load offensively, going 3-for-5 with three homers and eight RBIs. A rather unheralded part of the lineup, he's got 10 homers and 41 RBIs right now, joining Barry Bonds in some exclusive team history of the last quarter century.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com on social media:

Wilmer Flores is the first Giants player with 40+ RBI in the team’s first 45 games since Barry Bonds in 2001 (45)

Wilmer Flores is the first Giants player with 40+ RBI in the team’s first 45 games since Barry Bonds in 2001 (45) https://t.co/Ic00UQJmhe
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 17, 2025

Any time you can join Bonds in history, you've done something right.

Though his career has been scarred by connection to the Steroid Era, Bonds is among the most talented players to ever step foot on a baseball field. A 22-year veteran of the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants, Bonds was a seven-time MVP, a 14-time All-Star, an eight-time Gold Glover and a two-time batting champion. He also won 12 Silver Slugger Awards and led the Giants to an apperance in the 2002 World Series.

He is baseball's all-time home run leader at 765 and also led the league in on-base percentage in eight different seasons.

Flores, 33, is a 13-year veteran of the New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks and Giants. He's a career .261 hitter. His career-high in homers is 23, which was set in 2023.

The Giants and A's will play again on Saturday at 9:05 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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