For the second consecutive year, Jack Flaherty was dealt to a contending team at the trade deadline. This time around, he should have a far bigger impact on his new squad.
Flaherty was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers minutes before Monday’s 6 p.m. deadline, giving the National League powerhouse a crucial weapon for their tattered rotation. The Detroit Free Press was first to report that the Dodgers acquired Flaherty.
Flaherty will join Tyler Glasnow at the front of their rotation, with hopes that, come playoff time, veterans Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw will be healthy and youngsters Gavin Stone and River Ryan will still be viable options. For now, though, the addition of Flaherty is a significant sign of relief for the Dodgers, who enter Tuesday’s play with a 6 ½-game lead in the National League West.
The Tigers will receive Class A catcher Thayron Liranzo and Class AAA infielder Trey Sweeney in exchange for Flaherty.
A year ago, Flaherty, the 28-year-old right-handed starter, was traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Baltimore Orioles, yet the return for St. Louis was minimal and the expectations low in Baltimore. That’s because Flaherty had a 4.43 ERA and 1.55 WHIP for the Cardinals, and while he made the Orioles’ playoff roster, he was stashed deep in the bullpen.
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Things should be different this time around.
Two full years removed from 2022 shoulder surgery, Flaherty was excellent this season for the Tigers, striking out 133 batters in 106 ⅔ innings, posting a 2.95 ERA and completing at least six innings in 12 of his 18 starts. His 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings and 7.00 strikeout-walk ratio are the best of his career.
In anticipation of a deal, the Tigers scratched Flaherty from his scheduled start Monday night against Cleveland. After signing a one-year, $14 million deal with Detroit, Flaherty will once again be a free agent after the season.