Orioles & FA Jack Flaherty could reunite this winter
MLB Trade Rumors’ Mark Polishuk relayed a report from The Athletic, which revealed that the Orioles’ interest in reigning World Series champion righty Jack Flaherty is mutual:
“Jack Flaherty‘s first stint in an Orioles uniform didn’t go well, as the right-hander struggled to a 6.75 ERA in 34 2/3 innings after Baltimore acquired him from the Cardinals at the 2023 trade deadline. However, it doesn’t appear that any hard feelings exist between Flaherty and the O’s, as The Athletic’s Will Sammon and Katie Woo write that ‘both sides would be open to a reunion after Flaherty’s bounce-back season,’” Polishuk wrote.
Orioles: Flaherty played like an ace in 2024
Flaherty bounced back from that forgettable stint in Baltimore with a career-defining 2024 season that culminated in him becoming a champion. He reminded the baseball world of why he was an All-MLB Second Team honoree in 2019 across 18 starts for the Detroit Tigers, where he posted a praiseworthy 2.95 ERA, 0.956 WHIP, and 133 strikeouts.
His ace-level play carried over to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he closed out the campaign going 6-2 over his last 10 starts to the tune of a 3.58 ERA and 61 Ks. Baltimore could use his services again for several reasons.
Orioles losing Corbin Burnes calls for Flaherty addition
The Orioles just lost their scintillating ace Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks in free agency. As Baltimore looks to remain contenders in the American League, re-inserting the 29-year-old back into their fold could gift them with a talent that stood in as the Dodgers’ ace and helped lead them to a Fall Classic victory on the mound after their lead man Tyler Glasnow, as well as stars Gavin Stone and Clayton Kershaw all went down for the year.
Flaherty has been projected to garner a $100 million deal over at least five years on his next contract. Baltimore has only $77.7 million on their books for next season and a projected payroll table of $129.2 million by Spotrac. Thus, they could spend big for Flaherty at roughly $20 million a year and potentially reap immeasurable rewards in their pursuit of a World Series crown in short order.
