With minutes remaining to the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired starting pitcher Jack Flaherty from the Detroit Tigers. In exchange, the Dodgers will send shortstop Trey Sweeney and catcher-first baseman Thayron Liranzo to the Motor City, according to Robert Murray of FanSided.
Jack Flaherty goes to the Dodgers pic.twitter.com/ailTKB4WOr
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 30, 2024
The Dodgers were also rumored to be in on the big targets Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet. However, with the asking price high, they stayed put with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox, respectively.
Dodgers Land Jack Flaherty in Trade with Tigers
The Best Available?
With those two big fish staying put, Flaherty was considered the best arm on the trade market. Already over 100 in innings pitched this year, the right-hander has proven to be durable and effective. He has an impressive 2.95 ERA over 18 starts, and strikes out over one-third of batters faced. Furthermore, he can give the Dodgers quality innings and go deep in games.
Flaherty bolsters a starting rotation that has struggled with injuries this season. It is still unclear how healthy Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be going into October. This is good news for the Los Angeles bullpen as well. The Dodger relievers have thrown more innings than any other team in the majors since July 1.
In addition, the right-hander has a solid ERA of 3.60 during his postseason appearances.
A History For the Birds
Flaherty, a product of Burbank, CA, was drafted in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He eventually made the Opening Day roster in 2018. The right-hander spent most of his career with the Redbirds before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles on August 1, 2023. At the beginning of 2024, Flaherty signed with Detroit as a free agent.
Farm System Intact
Given this year’s seller’s market, even for rentals like Flaherty, the Dodgers only gave up one top-15 prospect in the flurry of trades they completed.
Photo Credit: © John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
