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The St. Louis Cardinals just can't seem to find their rhythm in 2023. Despite featuring a fairly talented roster, St. Louis currently sits in last place in the National League Central. As a result, the Cardinals may be sellers ahead of the trade deadline. Although trading Paul Goldschmidt and/or Nolan Arenado would be questionable, dealing SP Jack Flaherty away is a realistic option.
Flaherty has not pitched well in 2023. He's pitched to the tune of a lackluster 4.95 ERA this season, and he leads the league in walks with 44, per Baseball Reference. That said, he's also atop the league with 15 starts. For a pitcher who's dealt with previous injury concerns, it's good to see Flaherty on the mound on a consistent basis. If he can reel in his control issues, Flaherty is more than capable of turning things around.
At just 27-years old Flaherty still has trade value. A fresh start seems necessary, so let's take a look at the three best trade destinations for Jack Flaherty.
3. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees' pitching rotation has been hit hard by the injury bug. They simply need arms in their rotation.
Would Flaherty automatically fix all of their problems? No, but he'd get the chance to settle in behind Gerrit Cole in the rotation. Additionally, he would receive a decent amount of run support once Aaron Judge returns from injury. Pitching in a large market is always challenging, so there's no guarantee that Flaherty would perform well in New York.
However, the price to acquire him wouldn't be too costly for the Yankees. Even if he posts a 4.00 ERA with the ball club, the Yankees will take it as long as he remains healthy.
2. Baltimore Orioles
Being traded to the Orioles would be a completely different scenario than New York for Jack Flaherty. Baltimore doesn't have a giant market and Flaherty would take over as one of the top pitchers on the team. Perhaps a fresh start as an ace with a new ball club could lead to improved results though.
Again, the Yankees do make sense as a landing destination. But Flaherty might end up finishing with better results with the Orioles as Baltimore aims to reach the playoffs in 2023. It wouldn't be shocking by any means to see him flash signs of the pitcher he once was with a trade to Baltimore.
Although Flaherty hasn't ever been an All-Star, he was fantastic in 2019 with the Cardinals. He finished that year with a 2.75 ERA and league-leading 0.96 WHIP to go along with 231 strikeouts. Flaherty is currently in the prime of his career and likely still has the potential to replicate that elite form. Baltimore would give him a chance to find it and become the ace he was in 2019 once again.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the best landing destination for Jack Flaherty.
The Dodgers desperately need pitching help. Los Angeles must acquire a reliever or two given their bullpen struggles, but adding a starter like Flaherty would be pivotal for rotation depth. Los Angeles makes sense as a landing destination for star pitchers like Marcus Stroman and Shane Bieber. That said, they may prefer to acquire a hurler like Flaherty, who wouldn't cost as much in a deal given his underwhelming performance.
For Flaherty, this trade also makes sense. He would get a brand new start on the west coast, which is where he is from. Returning home could breathe new life into the 27-year old.
The Dodgers are hopeful that Dustin May and Julio Urias can re-join Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin in the rotation as well. Meanwhile, Bobby Miller has impressed in 2023 with LA. But adding one more arm for depth, especially given the rotation's current uncertainty, would be a smart move.
It will be interesting to see what the Cardinals ultimately decide to do with Jack Flaherty ahead of the trade deadline. Barring a shocking turnaround over the next few weeks, the right-hander will probably be on the move.
