Dodgers Predicted to Lose Hometown Hero to Hated Rival for $100 Million
It was a storybook ending to the 2024 MLB season for pitcher Jack Flaherty. He was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the season, giving him the chance to pitch for his hometown team.
With the Dodgers' pitching rotation decimated by injuries, the Burbank, California, native had to take on an important role in the playoffs. Flaherty made five postseason starts, including two in the World Series against the New York Yankees, helping the franchise to its seventh world championship.
While he had some great and not-so-great moments during the Dodgers' playoff run, Flaherty certainly earned himself a hefty payday in free agency. But it might not be from his hometown team.
Free agent pitcher Jack Flaherty.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report is predicting that Flaherty is going to sign with the San Francisco Giants on a five-year, $100 million contract.
"The 29-year-old settled for a one-year, $14 million deal last winter, and he should have no problem exceeding the $17 million AAV that Frankie Montas received on his new deal with the New York Mets," Reuter wrote. "With the ever-climbing cost of starting pitching, a $20 million AAV looks like his floor, and the San Francisco Giants are looking for a Blake Snell replacement to slot alongside Logan Webb at the top of the rotation."
Considering the Dodgers have given big money to Blake Snell this offseason and still have a good chance to land Roki Sasaki, they may not want to pay Flaherty. He could also want to play for a team that doesn't have as deep of a rotation, so the Giants would make some sense despite the pitcher's ties to Los Angeles.
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