The Los Angeles Dodgers have been active this offseason after winning the World Series in 2024. However, they have failed to re-sign one of their key players and could lose him to a division rival.
Jack Flaherty came over to the Dodgers during the trade deadline and stepped up for the team. Yoshinobu Yamamoto missed all of July and August. Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw were dealing with injuries of their own. Flaherty stepped up as the ace in their absence and helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series. However, he is still a free agent and Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer predicts him to sign with the San Francisco Giants on a three-year deal with a two-year player option.
Will Sammon and Katie Woo of The Athletic reported that Flaherty is believed to be in search of a five-year deal. Last season, he had a 3.17 ERA in 28 starts and 194 strikeouts. The Dodgers signed Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal, likely ruling out any hope of a reunion with Flaherty. They also expect Shohei Ohtani back in the rotation.
The Giants tried to sign Corbin Burnes but ultimately failed. On January 7, they signed Justin Verlander to a one-year deal. Bringing in Flaherty could give them a rotation that features Logan Webb, Flaherty, Verlander, and Robbie Ray.
Flaherty is the best traditional free-agent pitcher remaining. The Giants could make a run at international free agent Roki Sasaki, but Flaherty seems like a more realistic target. Flaherty was a huge part of the Dodgers World Series title, and could potentially be taking the mound for one of their biggest rivals.
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