When the Detroit Tigers scratched Jack Flaherty from his start on Monday, it fanned the flames regarding the trade rumors that have surrounded him in recent weeks.
As of right now, it seems as if the two teams that are duking it out for him ahead of Tuesday's deadline are the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, with the San Diego Padres and Houston Astros in the picture as well.
“As of Monday night, the Tigers still had not completed a deal involving Flaherty,” Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic wrote. “Detroit was believed to be in negotiations with clubs including the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.
“The Tigers had engaged in trade talks with teams, including the San Diego Padres and Houston Astros, over the weekend, but nothing came to fruition.”
After Flaherty was scratched by the Tigers on Monday, there were reports that the Yankees were in intensive trade talks regarding the starting pitcher. Ultimately, a deal did not happen between the two sides, but it seems as if a deal involving the two teams is still possible.
The Dodgers are an interesting fit, and Flaherty fills an obvious need for them due to the injuries that they have been dealing with in their starting rotation.
What could the Tigers get for Jack Flaherty in a trade?
The fact that the Padres and Astros are in the picture is interesting. The Padres seemingly are in on a lot of players each year, and they have been one of the hottest teams in baseball as of late. Adding Flaherty to the rotation could be a big boost down the stretch to secure a playoff spot or even chase down a struggling Dodgers team that is pursuing the starting pitcher as well.
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The Astros were mentioned as a team that was engaged with the Tigers over the weekend, and after completing a trade for Yusei Kikuchi with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, maybe that has changed, especially given that it was generally seen as a significant package given up by Houston.
It will be interesting to see if the Astros remain aggressive, as the rotation has been one of the biggest question marks for them. Another area of need is first base, which is where Houston could pivot to now, especially with Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays as a potential target.
Pitching, whether it be starting pitching or relief pitching, is seemingly very expensive at this deadline. With the Tigers likely not moving Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet possibly not moving as well, Flaherty becomes the top name still on the market. Detroit could take advantage and get a solid return for him by Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET deadline.
