Another Jack Flaherty Suitor Has Emerged Amid Potential Dodgers Return Rumors
The potential Jack Flaherty-Los Angeles Dodgers reunion has another wrinkle.
Flaherty, originally from the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, was acquired by the Dodgers at the trade deadline last season.
He finished the regular season with a 3.17 ERA, 194 strikeouts to only 38 walks, and the second highest WAR of his career at 3.1.
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When it came to the postseason, Flaherty was less solid, posting a 1-2 record and an ERA of 7.36.
He shined in Game 1 of the NLCS with six strikeouts, two walks, and two earned runs in seven innings as he and the Dodgers got their respective wins in a 9-0 rout of the New York Mets.
In the World Series, he did not earn a decision in his two appearances, despite the Dodgers winning both games he pitched in. Flaherty fanned seven batters to only two walks in those games, including the Game 5 title-clinching game.
While Flaherty has been linked to a handful of teams, most recently, Robert Murray on The Baseball Insiders podcast mentioned another Southern California team as a possibility.
“If we’re talking about pitching, I would imagine they look at — if they’re going for a bigger name guy — I think Jack Flaherty makes the most sense for them,” Murray said. “They’ve got the California connection, they’ve always needed starting pitching, it seems like. And Flaherty would be a really strong fit there, even on a short-term deal or even a long-term deal.
“I would imagine, if it’s with the Angels, it’ll be a shorter-term deal.”
Flaherty is reportedly open to a short-term deal, and if the Dodgers don’t end up bringing him back, the Angels would be a good fit for the Burbank native.
The Halos have had a busy offseason, especially on the pitching front, bringing in southpaw Yusei Kikuchi and right-hander Kyle Hendricks to bolster their rotation.
Flaherty would be an excellent addition to any rotation, but could make sense for a Dodgers rotation that has already been upgraded since winning their eighth World Series title. However, finding a fit for him may be difficult.
In addition to Tyler Glasnow returning to the rotation from injury and Shohei Ohtani returning to the mound for the first time since 2023, Los Angeles also signed Cy Young award winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal.
Not to mention, the Dodgers are also one of the last three remaining teams in the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes as the 23-year-old nears his decision.
If the Dodgers don’t bring in Sasaki, Flaherty would be a great fallback option. If they do add Sasaki, Flaherty will likely have to find a new home for the 2025 season.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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