Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Jack Flaherty is coming back to Southern California! It took a while, but at the last minute the trade between the Dodgers and the Detroit Tigers was announced minutes before the 3:00 PDT deadline.
Joining the Dodgers will mark somewhat of a homecoming for Flaherty, He grew up in the LA area and attended Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, where he showcased his talent and caught the attention of scouts. The St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft.
Flaherty’s professional career began in the Cardinals’ minor league system, where he steadily progressed through the ranks. His breakthrough came in 2017 when he made his MLB debut with the Cardinals. In 2018, Flaherty had a standout season, finishing fifth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. His performance included a 3.34 ERA and 182 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched, establishing him as a promising young pitcher.
The 2019 season marked Flaherty’s arrival as a top-tier pitcher. He posted a 2.75 ERA and struck out 231 batters over 196.1 innings, earning a fourth-place finish in the NL Cy Young Award voting. His second half of the season was particularly remarkable, with a 0.91 ERA over his final 15 starts, making him one of the most dominant pitchers in the league during that period.
Flaherty faced challenges in the subsequent seasons due to injuries, which limited his playing time. Despite these setbacks, he remained a key figure in the Cardinals’ rotation. Known for his competitive spirit and ability to perform under pressure, Flaherty continued to be a valuable asset for the team.
In 2023, Flaherty signed with the Detroit Tigers, marking a new chapter in his career. The Tigers sought to bolster their pitching staff with Flaherty’s talent and experience. As he settled into his role with the Tigers, fans and analysts alike looked forward to seeing how he would contribute to the team’s success and continue to develop as a pitcher. His numbers in 2024 represent a return to form for Flaherty, who struggled for a couple of seasons with less than impressive results. With the Tigers, Flaherty is solid: over 106.2 innings: 7-5, 2.95 ERA, 113 K, 0.96 WHIP.
In order to obtain the services of Flaherty, the Dodgers had to give up prospects Trey Sweeney and Thayron Liranzo.
More on this later, but at first blush it looks like a very good pick-up for the Dodgers, and might just shore up the rotation the rest of the way, regardless of what happens with Miller, Yamamoto, and Buehler.
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