The New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals are two of the teams under the biggest spotlight ahead of the 2023 MLB trade deadline. While both clubs could be sellers, it appears two of the most popular teams in MLB could also be trade partners on Tuesday.
New York is far further down in the MLB standings than it expected when the season began. Recurring injuries, including multiple stints on the injured list for Aaron Judge, have put the Yankees outside the MLB playoff picture
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According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the Yankees are among the teams that have been in contact with the Cardinals about starting pitcher Jack Flaherty.
- Jack Flaherty stats (2023): 4.43 ERA, 8.7 K/9, 4.43 BB/9, .274 batting average allowed, 1.55 WHIP, 21.9 percent strikeout rate, 10.7 percent K-BB rate in 109.2 innings pitched
Flaherty used to be one of the best pitchers in MLB. After making his Cardinals’ debut in 2017, the veteran righty earned All-MLB Second Team honors in 2019. He appeared to be on the fast track to becoming an ace, posting a combined 3.21 ERA with a 29.1 percent strikeout rate, 1.05 WHIP, 20.8 percent K-BB rate and a .196 batting average allowed in 85 starts from 2018-’21.
However, Flaherty hasn’t been the same pitcher after being plagued by injuries. The 6-foot-4 righty’s average fastball velocity has dropped (93.4 to 92.9) and the effectiveness of his stuff and command has plummeted. In 28 starts since last season, opponents have a .270 batting average off Flaherty with a 1.57 WHIP, a 4.39 ERA and an 11.7 percent walk rate.
The 27-year-old has looked slightly better on the mound as of late. In his last 51.2 innings pitched, Flaherty boasts a 4-2 record with a 4.01 ERA and he lowered his strikeout rate to 8.6 percent. However, opponents are still hitting .292 off him with a 1.57 WHIP.
Flaherty’s trade value has plummeted in recent years, but St. Louis wants to move off him before he walks in free agency this offseason with nothing gained in return. Flaherty’s low flyball rate (30.4 percent) would bode well for Yankee Stadium.
However, the frequency of contact he allows to opposing hitters and the disappearance of his swing-and-miss stuff could make him a poor fit for the Yankees’ rotation, especially given his injury history. Ultimately, it wouldn’t be a surprise if New York is more of a seller on Tuesday and stays away from Flaherty.