Jack Flaherty Trade Destinations: Top 3 landing spots for struggling Cardinals pitcher

It's been a difficult season for both Jack Flaherty and the St. Louis Cardinals. While the team has slowly become one of the hottest teams in baseball, the club is still currently fourth in the National League Central with a 23-29 record, only two wins more than the last-placed Cincinnati Reds.

While the Cardinals have slowly begun to creep out of their early-season funk, the same can not be said for Jack Flaherty, who continues to struggle. Through 51.0 innings this season, Flaherty has posted a 3-4 record with a dreadful 5.29 ERA and 1.588 WHIP.

"Flaherty attacking the zone" - @CardinalsReek

The 27-year-old has shown glimpses of stardom in the past, however, in recent seasons, Flaherty has struggled with both his health and his production. Throughout his seven-year MLB career, Flaherty has only pitched more than 100 innings twice, finishing fourth in NL Cy Young voting in 2019.

However, given his difficult season and pending unrestricted free agency, the St. Louis Cardinals may be incentivized to move on from their former ace before the end of the regular season. Here's a look at three potential landing spots for the struggling pitcher.

#1 - The Los Angeles Dodgers may be able to maximize Jack Flaherty's skills

The Los Angeles Dodgers have developed a reputation for not only salvaging the careers of pitchers but bringing out the best of their abilities. Flaherty could thrive with the Dodgers' pitching coaches, potentially turning around his season heading into free agency.

"Jack Flaherty is just auditioning for the Dodgers today unfortunately" - @nolan_szn

One of the main reasons that Los Angeles may consider taking a flier on Flaherty is the recent wave of injuries that has taken over their pitching staff. Not only will the club be without Walker Buehler for the majority of the 2023 campaign, but the team has now lost both Dustin May and Julio Urias for the foreseeable future.

#2 - The Arizona Diamondbacks are primed to shoot their shot

The Arizona Diamondbacks have been one of the most exciting teams in baseball, and are perhaps performing ahead of their original contention timeline. This is why taking a gamble on Jack Flaherty could be intriguing for the Diamondbacks, who could use help in their pitching rotation.

While Zac Gallen has been a workhorse for the team, the same cannot be said for the rest of the rotation. Jack Flaherty could not only join an up-and-coming roster but potentially perform well enough to sign an extension with his new club. The fact that Flaherty will become an unrestricted free agent could make it a low-risk, high-reward move for the young team.

#3 - The Detroit Tigers have been one of the surprising teams of the 2023 season, could they become buyers?

It has not been the season that many expected from the Detroit Tigers, as they currently sit second in the American League Central with a 22-25 record. While they sit below .500, other teams in their division may be closer to imploding than they are.

"For his sake, Jack Flaherty should really request a trade to the Detroit Tigers." - @mlbshitpostbot

While many still expect the Tigers to fall off and eventually trade many of their veterans, what if they can maintain their current level and become buyers at the trade deadline? This may be an unlikely scenario, however, it would be nice to see competitive baseball back in Detroit.

Jack Flaherty could be a low-cost addition to the Tigers' pitching rotation behind Eduardo Rodriguez. He could also present them with an opportunity to re-sign him to a long-term deal if he benefits from the change in scenery.