The Boston Red Sox have been a pleasant surprise in 2024 and have exceeded many people’s expectations. They are right in the thick of the American League Wild Card chase behind a 15-10 June. Now the calendar has flipped to July and this month is a busy one with the All-Star break coming and the trade deadline which takes place on the 30th. The Red Sox could be looking to buy if they have a nice stretch before the break which things lineup that they could hold a playoff spot with a series against the Miami Marlins this week then they head to the Bronx to take on the New York Yankees before returning home to face the Oakland A’s and finally the Kansas City Royals next weekend. The two things last month that was rumored to be on the Red Sox radar were a starting pitcher and a shortstop but with what’s happened the shortstop issue may be off the radar with what David Hamilton and Ceddanne Rafaela have done, and with the log jam in the outfield currently, Rafaela moving to short is a nice option which opens spots to keep Wilyer Abreu, and Tyler O’Neill in the lineup while Jarren Duran will not take a day off. So that leaves adding an arm, which they have been linked to Jack Flaherty in Detroit. The Red Sox were reportedly in on Flaherty this offseason, but he wasn’t offered a contract and took the Tigers’ offer where he has pitched well.
RHP – Jack Flaherty
Flaherty is in his eighth season and has spent time with the St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Tigers. He spent his first seven seasons in St. Louis going 41-31 in 122 appearances with 118 of those coming as starts, he had a 3.58 ERA, a 3.97 FIP, a 1.19 WHIP, a 3.4 BB/9, and a 10.0 K/9 in 633 innings. He was traded at last season’s trade deadline to Baltimore where he struggled making seven starts before being moved to the bullpen, he would make two more appearances out of the bullpen he combined to go 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA, a 4.84 FIP, a 1.67 WHIP, a 3.1 BB/9, and a 10.9 K/9 in 34.2 innings. This season with Detroit he’s made 15 starts going 5-5 with a 3.24 ERA, a 3.05 FIP, a 1.00 WHIP, a 1.4 BB/9, and an 11.6 K/9 in 89 innings. He finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2018, he followed that campaign up finishing fourth in Cy Young voting and 13th in MVP voting in 2019.
Wrap Up:
Would you make a trade with the Tigers for Jack Flaherty? You can add him to a rotation with Nick Pivetta, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford; you could also go with six starters to give guys extra rest and Flaherty can also give you innings and rest your bullpen as well. I think it would be a great addition, especially with the success he is having in 2024.
