Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty was full of emotion following the team’s clinching of the NL West in a 7-2 victory over the San Diego Padres. For Flaherty, who grew up a Dodgers fan, the moment felt surreal. “I try to take it all in,” he said. “I watched a lot of games here growing up, and to be a part of this is special.”
Reflecting on the significance of the night, Flaherty shared how it felt stepping off the field after the final out and entering the clubhouse. “It was a ‘pinch me’ moment. You get in the locker room, look around, and see the guys you’ve watched and admired. It’s just special,” he said. The champagne celebration, a hallmark of playoff clinches, was no different for Flaherty. “It was like, wow, this is real life.”
The series against the Padres, who have become a heated rival to the Dodgers in recent years, was also particularly meaningful to Flaherty. He noted the shift from the classic Dodgers-Giants rivalry to the more recent intensity between the Dodgers and Padres. “It’s changed. Growing up, it was always Dodgers-Giants. Now, every time Manny [Machado] or [Fernando] Tatis comes up, they’re getting booed. They’re great players on a great team,” he said, giving credit to San Diego despite the Dodgers’ dominant series win.
In discussing the game itself, Flaherty highlighted the pivotal moment in the seventh inning when Will Smith hit a two-run homer to break the game open. “We were putting some good at-bats together, but Musgrove was dealing. That swing by Will was huge. It was like, okay, here we go. That’s when we knew we had a ballgame,” Flaherty explained.
When asked about how it feels to contribute to a team he grew up loving, Flaherty admitted it was a dream come true. He vividly recalled moments from his youth, watching the Dodgers in the postseason. “I remember Steve Finley‘s walk-off grand slam to clinch the division. I was on the couch watching that game, and now I’m here doing this,” he shared.
Looking ahead, Flaherty expressed excitement about the possibility of taking the mound for the Dodgers in the playoffs. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. At the end of the day, I’ll get a hug from my family, and I’ll know I’ve got them behind me. But you want to win, and that’s what drives you,” he said.
As a local product, Flaherty acknowledged that there’s something extra special about performing for the team he grew up supporting. “You always want to win, but doing it for your hometown team adds another layer of pride,” he said.
With the clinch secured and the postseason on the horizon, Flaherty, like the rest of the Dodgers, knows that more work lies ahead. “We’ve got more to do, but for tonight, we’re enjoying this moment,” he concluded.
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