SAN DIEGO – The Los Angeles Dodgers approached this year’s trade deadline looking to add a front-line starting pitcher and, with less than 20 minutes to spare, arguably the best available, landing Jack Flaherty from the Detroit Tigers.
Flaherty’s acquisition capped another deadline for the National League-leading Dodgers, who also injected an injured roster with two super-utility players (Amed Rosario and Tommy Edman), a center fielder (Kevin Kiermaier) and a hard-throwing reliever (Michael Kopech). But the star, of course, is Flaherty, who has had a promising career through the first four months of the season and has attracted the interest of many teams over the past few weeks.
In the exchange, the Dodgers gave up minor league catcher Thayron Liranzo – the third-ranked catcher in the system by MLB.com, behind Dalton Rushing and Diego Cartaya – and infielder Trey Sweeney, a 24-year-old shortstop in Triple-A.
“Getting an impact starter is a very high priority for us, and Jack certainly is,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. “His command, his stuff, his swing-and-miss — we feel like that’s a real power pick in October.”
Flaherty is expected to join the Dodgers in San Diego on Friday and make his first start at some point over the weekend, during the road series against the Oakland Athletics.
He will slide into a decorated rotation that is also fraught with uncertainty. Tyler Glasnow has risen like an ace but will quickly surpass his previous career in the round. Clayton Kershaw is a certain Hall of Famer but he is also 36 years old from shoulder surgery. Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller will return, but both have struggled of late. And Yoshinobu Yamamoto is dealing with a strained rotator cuff, not knowing when — or, perhaps, if — he might return.
Flaherty brings some much-needed uncertainty thanks to a resurgent season. Now 28, Flaherty was one of the most dominant starting pitchers in the sport during his time with St. Louis. Louis Cardinals in his early 20s from 2018 to 2019. He then struggled through shoulder problems and posted a 4.42 ERA from 2020 to 2023, but he has been dominant. since signing a one-year, $14 million contract with the Tigers last December. Through 18 starts, Flaherty posted a 2.95 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, striking out 133 batters and issuing 19 walks in 106â…” innings.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Edman, Flaherty’s former Cardinals teammate, of the Dodgers reunion. “He’s a fun guy to play with, a great competitor. I know LA is going to love him. It’s going to be fun to see him again. He played against the Cardinals earlier this year and I watched the game and he looked like 13 guys. boys now.
Edman has not played this season. He was expected to be ready for Opening Day despite wrist surgery in October, but it wasn’t until June that he finally started getting ready again. Then he sprained his ankle, extending his absence for at least another month. Edman, a 29-year-old who enters next season, has played in eight rehab games, all as a designated hitter, and will be reevaluated over the next few days to see when he can pitch.
“It shouldn’t take too long,” said Edman.
Where he plays when he returns is an open question.
Edman played primarily in center, at shortstop, second base and center field. Rosario, a pending free agent who slashed .307/.331/.417 with the Rays, is a lifelong shortstop who has made at least 10 starts at three other positions this season — second base, right field and third base. Kiermaier, a four-time Gold Glove winner who has just a .546 OPS this season, is primarily a center fielder.
His presence was necessary because of injuries to third baseman Max Muncy (oblique strain), infielder Miguel Rojas (sprained arm), super-utility man Chris Taylor (groin strain) and right fielder Mookie Betts (left field). arm). But there is also uncertainty about where the players are located when the Dodgers are healthy – especially because of Betts, who has spent most of this season at shortstop.
Betts could return to shortstop, which may be more likely given the heat of second baseman Gavin Lux. He could play second, allowing Rojas or Edman to take over at shortstop. He was able to return to right field, strengthening the field. Or he could bounce.
At this point, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, returning to shortstop is Betts’ intention.
“I think if he had druthers, he would have stayed in one position and had a consistent vision of the role,” Roberts said. “But Mookie has told me many times — whatever it takes to make us the best ball club he can be, he’s willing to do it.
For now, the Dodgers will welcome added depth and versatility and figure out more later.
“We’ve had more injuries than we expected,” Gomes said. “We’re talking about looking for real impact-type movement, and when it comes to that, both are needed – impact-type movement and depth.”