In a last-minute move before the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Dodgers added starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, bolstering their rotation with a significant acquisition from the Detroit Tigers.
An hour after the trade announcement, Flaherty’s mother shared a nostalgic photo on social media, featuring young Jack dressed in a full Dodgers uniform. Captioned “Circa 1997 …. Let’s Go!” and tagging both the Dodgers and her son.
The hilarious post shows Flaherty as a toddler, already a fan of the team.
Born in 1995 in Burbank, California, Flaherty attended Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles, making this trade a homecoming for the pitcher.
Despite the Dodgers’ pitching staff slowly recovering, with Clayton Kershaw returning and Tyler Glasnow coming off the injured list, they still faced challenges.
Walker Buehler had a rehab setback, Yoshinobu Yamamoto remained sidelined, and both Emmet Sheehan and Dustin May were out for the season.
Additionally, James Paxton was traded to the Boston Red Sox, leaving the Dodgers in need of reliable arms.
Flaherty, enjoying a resurgence this season, offers the Dodgers much-needed stability.
With a 7-5 record, a 2.95 ERA, and 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings over 18 starts for the Tigers, he has proven his value.
If the Dodgers’ rotation is fully healthy, Flaherty would join Glasnow, Kershaw, and Yamamoto, forming one of the most formidable postseason rotations in baseball.
Few teams, perhaps only the Philadelphia Phillies, could rival such depth.
While the Dodgers had their sights on bigger names, Flaherty emerged as the top starter available at the deadline.
Notably, Los Angeles managed to acquire Flaherty without giving up significant prospects. The primary piece sent to Detroit was catcher/first baseman Thayron Liranzo, the Dodgers’ No. 8 prospect according to MLB Pipeline.
Alongside Liranzo, shortstop Trey Sweeney, a lower-level prospect, was included in the deal.
Compared to the return the Toronto Blue Jays received from the Houston Astros for Yusei Kikuchi, this trade demonstrates the Dodgers’ shrewd negotiation skills.
As the Dodgers aim for a deep postseason run, Flaherty’s addition could be a game-changer, solidifying their rotation and fulfilling a childhood dream for the hometown pitcher.