Shocking Shit: Dodgers World Series Hero Predicted to…
The Los Angeles Dodgers will soon have to answer a question all World Series champions face: How much of the band should you keep together?
It wasn’t always easy, but the Dodgers ultimately proved to be Major League Baseball’s superior team in 2024, and to do so, they overcame one major hurdle. Their starting rotation was ravaged by injuries all season, which prompted a crucial deadline trade with the Detroit Tigers.
Jack Flaherty came over to the Dodgers from Detroit in July and wound up taking the ball in five crucial postseason games. Two of those games came against the New York Mets, who are now expected to be one of the aggressive teams pursuing free-agent pitchers this winter.
In a potential worst-case scenario, Flaherty could wind up with the team that challenged the Dodgers for a spot in the World Series. Will Laws and Nick Selbe recently predicted that Flaherty would sign on to play in Queens at the end of his free agency this winter.
“Four seasons plagued by injury and ineffectiveness forced Flaherty to settle for a one-year, $14 million deal last winter,” the authors said. “He’s set himself up for a much bigger payday this time around after going 13–7 with a 3.17 ERA and 3.48 FIP over 28 starts, even if he ran out of steam in the postseason.”
Flaherty may not have pitched a fantastic game in the World Series clincher, but the Dodgers won both of his starts, and he was excellent in Game 1 at Dodger Stadium. He also had a monster start against the Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS, throwing seven shutout innings.
Now, Flaherty is projected for a five-year, $100 million contract by Tim Britton of The Athletic. That’s a steep investment for any team, even the Dodgers, considering his uneven track record.
The Mets may have deeper pockets than the Dodgers, and they may be even more desperate to land quality starting pitchers. If they’re hot on Flaherty’s trail, that presents a serious threat to the Dodgers’ ability to bring him back.
