The Los Angeles Dodgers have been aggressive at the trade deadline, as many anticipated, and have not come home empty-handed. Rather, they have acquired arguably one of the best options on the market: Detroit Tigers ace Jack Flaherty. A longtime Dodgers fan, Flaherty is coming home to Hollywood, and his presence is sure to bolster the Dodgers pitching staff, which has been damaged by numerous injuries all season long.
Even with Clayton Kershaw back in the mix, Los Angeles has struggled to field a healthy five-man rotation for weeks. But with Flaherty, all of that could be about to change. The 28-year-old is experiencing possibly his best season to date, posting a 9-5 record through 20 starts with a 2.97 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. His 150 strikeouts through 118.1 innings is one of the best ratios in the league.
Jack Flaherty’s Long-Awaited Move to the Dodgers
Flaherty has long loved pitching in Los Angeles, as he was born and raised in California. As a toddler, Flaherty even wore a Dodger uniform, dreaming of playing for the team one day. Now, in many ways, his dreams have all come full circle, bringing him back to the Dodgers as a pro.
How Flaherty Strengthens the Dodgers’ Pitching Roster
But beyond just achieving his own childhood dreams, Flaherty is also stepping into an ideal team set-up. Flaherty isn’t just pitching for the Dodgers. He’s pitching for what some would argue is the National League’s most talented team, possibly the best team in the league right now. But despite its talent, the team has been in desperate need of a reliable, uninjured pitching roster. With Flaherty on the mound, everything could very well go the team’s way.
Once the playoffs arrive, there’s a good chance Los Angeles can field a dominant starting rotation despite the onslaught of injuries. That is especially true of Flaherty. After struggling post-deadline last season, when traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Baltimore Orioles, Flaherty is looking to avoid a repeat of history.
Flaherty has long been effusive in his adoration for the Dodgers and his new fandom. Based on his love of the team, fans can assume this was the move Flaherty had been dreaming of for decades, and one he was almost certainly hoping for at the trade deadline, whether he’ll admit it or not. Speaking with Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, the hard-throwing righty called playing in Dodger Stadium as a kid “an unforgettable experience.” Now, he gets to play there regularly.
It seems only natural then, that the St. Louis fandom became jealous. There was a lot of semi-justified outrage when Flaherty waxed poetic about the Orioles fanbase and the Camden Yards experience after the 2023 trade deadline. “I haven’t had to turn my PitchCom up at home in a while,” he said.
To some, that statement read as a blatant shot at St. Louis. Few would ever call the Cardinals’ fanbase disengaged, but last season was a disappointment for many, and the fanbase struggled with many of the outcomes. The Orioles were doing well for the first time in ages, and the Cardinals were struggling. Of course, there was more fan engagement in Baltimore down the stretch.
One can assume that Flaherty didn’t mean to insult the St. Louis crowd, nor does he intend to now. The breakup may not have gone over smoothly, but Flaherty has expressed no ill will toward the Cardinals organization.
Flaherty’s results have been mixed through several Dodgers starts, but he has been at the top of his game for the majority of this season. Los Angeles is counting on a monster finish to the campaign, and Flaherty is on track to deliver.
