Dodgers Heartbreak: $115 Million Deal Sends Playoff Hero to…
It’s been a while since the Los Angeles Dodgers had to worry about the San Francisco Giants as a threat.
In the early 2010s, it was the Giants who were winning the World Series and the Dodgers who were sitting on their couches during the Fall Classic. But the tides have turned, as San Francisco has just one playoff appearance since 2016 and the Dodgers are two-time champs this decade.
However, in 2021, the Giants shockingly won 107 games despite a mediocre roster on paper. There’s always some chance they could do so again, especially because the superstar catcher on that Giants team just took over as the club’s new top baseball executive.
Buster Posey, the 2012 National League Most Valuable Player, is now the Giants’ president of baseball operations. He’s got a tall task in front of him to revamp a team that finished in fourth place last year, but poaching a Dodgers star could be a nice place to start.
Recently, ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicted that Dodgers World Series Game 1 starter Jack Flaherty would sign with the Giants this winter on a five-year, $115 million contract.
“We don’t really know yet what Posey will emphasize as an executive, but considering he won World Series titles as a catcher with starting pitchers such as Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum anchoring the rotation, the best guess is he’ll believe you can never have enough pitching,” Schoenfield said.
“The Giants were just 18th in the majors in rotation ERA — in a pitcher’s park, mind you — (and have) to replace (Blake) Snell… Flaherty, coming off a strong rebound season, fits the bill.”
Flaherty, 29, had an excellent 2024 season after signing a one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers. He put up a 3.17 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 162 innings, then had two signature outings in the playoffs for the Dodgers after coming over in a deadline trade.
Because the Dodgers signed Snell from under San Francisco’s nose, they may not have a spot left in their rotation for Flaherty. Seeing him excel with the Giants, though, could still help spark a new chapter of a rivalry that hasn’t been at its peak for the last couple of seasons.
