The St. Louis Cardinals sent Jack Flaherty to the Baltimore Orioles just before the 2023 MLB trade deadline arrived. It's a move that made sense for the Cardinals and Orioles, given their place in the standings and Jack Flaherty's impending free agency. That doesn't necessarily mean it was a “good” trade for both teams.

The Orioles' trade for Flaherty cost Baltimore three minor-league prospects. Infielder Cesar Prieto and pitcher Drew Rom are now members of the Cardinals' organization. They had been two of Baltimore's top-20 prospects. The Orioles also sent minor-league pitcher Zack Showalter to St. Louis in the trade deadline deal.

St. Louis was a seller at the trade deadline, though they stopped short of a full tear-down. In addition to Flaherty, the Cardinals traded Jordan Montgomery, Jordan Hicks, Chris Stratton and Paul DeJong, hoping that the remainder of the roster can compete for the NL Central crown in 2024. The Flaherty trade was the only deal that Baltimore completed. The Orioles had been linked to Justin Verlander on the day of the deadline.

Let's give grades to the Orioles and Cardinals for the Jack Flaherty trade.

Orioles Jack Flaherty trade grade

If anyone should've made a blockbuster trade for a starting pitcher at the trade deadline, it was the Orioles. Baltimore has American League's best record and a real shot to win a championship. The Orioles have the top-ranked farm system in baseball, according to MLB.com. Seeking their first World Series title in 40 years, Baltimore should've gone “all in” at the deadline. Instead, the Orioles settled for a pitcher who might not even be worthy of a playoff start.

Flaherty wasn't among the five best starters traded ahead of the deadline. He wasn't even the best pitcher traded from the Cardinals. That was Montgomery, who has a 3.31 ERA since being moved at the 2022 deadline. Flaherty's ERA over is more than a full run higher since the start of the 2022 campaign.

It's been four years since Flaherty was an above-average starter over the course of a full season. The right-hander simply hasn't been good in 2023. His 1.55 WHIP is the highest among all starters who qualify for the ERA title. Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish have been better than Flaherty this year. Depending on how they perform down the stretch, Kyle Gibson and Dean Kremer could prove to be safer options for the Orioles in October.

Baltimore likely didn't part with any future stars, so the trade is far from a disaster. But the deal highlights a poor deadline performance from the Orioles' front office.

Orioles Trade Grade: C

Cardinals Jack Flaherty trade grade

The Cardinals had to trade Flaherty. It was well-known around MLB. Days before the 2023 trade deadline, Montgomery and Flaherty were considered to be as good as gone from St. Louis. Because the Cardinals were desperate to trade Flaherty, who has failed to meet expectations in 2023, St. Louis has to be satisfied with what it received in return for the 27-year-old.

Prieto is now the No. 9 prospect in the Cardinals' farm system, according to MLB.com. The Cuban infielder has been extremely impressive in 27 games for Triple-A Norfolk, hitting .317. Rom is ranked No. 26 in St. Louis' system amid a bloated 5.34 ERA in Triple-A. Showalter ranks No. 23 for the Cardinals and offers upside as a potential future member of the pitching staff. An 11th-round pick in last year's MLB Draft, Showalter has a 2.37 ERA across nine outings in rookie league and Single-A.

It was time for the Cardinals and Flaherty to part ways. Had Flaherty not been traded, St. Louis should've let him walk in free agency. If even one of the Orioles' prospects turns into a contributor for the Cardinals, the trade should be viewed as a roaring success.

Cardinals Trade Grade: A-