Pitching Prospects Heats Up: Two AL East Teams Pursue Dodgers Free Agency Pitcher

Jack Flaherty’s time with the Dodgers appears to be nearing its end, as there is simply no room for him in their rotation moving forward.

However, the American League East could be where he lands in 2025.

According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Baltimore Orioles have Flaherty on their radar, especially if they fail to re-sign Corbin Burnes.

Additionally, the Red Sox, who were interested in Flaherty last offseason but saw him sign with the Detroit Tigers, are also in the mix.

Flaherty’s previous stint with the Orioles in 2023 didn’t go as planned. The team took a chance on him after acquiring him from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline. With significant injury concerns, having only thrown 154.2 innings in the previous three seasons, Flaherty’s performance in Baltimore left a lot to be desired.

The right-hander posted a 6.75 ERA across 34.2 innings, which wasn’t the impact the Orioles were hoping for. However, his overall talent still makes him a potential asset to other teams, and he remains an intriguing option this offseason even if the O’s just added Japanese righty Tomoyuki Sugano on a one-year deal Monday night.

The Red Sox, who have been active in the free-agent market and made notable moves like acquiring Garrett Crochet from the White Sox, could add Flaherty to a rotation that would include Crochet and Tanner Houck. This could create a formidable trio that would rival the pitching staffs of other AL East teams such as the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, and, of course, the Orioles.

In addition to Baltimore and Boston, several other teams have shown interest in Flaherty. The Mets could use him to bolster their rotation alongside Kodai Senga, while the Cubs, who added Matthew Boyd earlier this offseason, are also keeping an eye on his price tag. The Tigers, who traded Flaherty away last year, may consider bringing him back, but their financial flexibility after signing Alex Cobb is a factor.

Ultimately, Flaherty’s future is still up in the air, but his experience and potential make him an appealing option for several teams in need of rotation help. As the market continues to develop, it will be interesting to see where he lands.