The New York Mets have more of a reason to stack their pitching unit than at any other point in 2024, and one pitcher they swung and missed on prior to the July 30 trade deadline could in fact circle back around next winter.
Mets ace Kodai Senga’s season-ending calf injury suffered on July 27 devastated the franchise. It also deprived them of the chance to accelerate their playoff surge with their No. 1 arm leading the charge. Now that he will be out of commission until the tail end of the playoffs at the earliest, New York has an opportunity to add another top talent to pair next to the Japanese former All-Star when he returns to full strength.
The Mets’ front office may not need to look any further than Los Angeles Dodgers star Jack Flaherty. The 28-year-old has enjoyed his best season since his career 2019 campaign, retiring 133 batters in 106.2 innings pitched behind a stellar 2.95 ERA. Though he was dealt to the Dodgers at the deadline, forming an even stronger juggernaut next to Yoshinobu Yamamoto and their elite pitching unit, his deal will expire at the end of the year. Thus, Mets owner Steve Cohen can make a concerted push to reel him into Queens, NY, and make good on their first failed attempt at acquiring his services.
Mets could snag Dodgers’ Jack Flaherty in free agency after trade deadline whiff
Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer had this to say about Flaherty’s future and the likelihood that he leaves L.A. next winter (h/t Patrick McAvoy of New York Mets on SI):
“The newest member of the Los Angeles Dodgers isn’t guaranteed to be around for long,” Rymer began.
“Flaherty otherwise had the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians and San Diego Padres after him, and the New York Mets speculatively entered the chat after Kodai Senga came off the (Injured List) only to get hurt again. That fit could work even better this winter when the Mets will have Luis Severino and José Quintana eligible for free agency. Further, Flaherty’s excellent K/BB ratio should appeal to them. Their starters are tied for last in that department in 2024.”
Flaherty could bolster a Mets team trending in the right direction
The Mets are trending in the right direction and a move for Flaherty could gift them with a 1-2-3 spearhead of himself, Senga, and Luis Severino that would run the risk of tearing through the MLB next season. Severino will also be a free agent come season’s end, but he may return especially if the Mets show marked improvement on paper in the upcoming offseason.
Flaherty is worth more than the $14 million he’s making in 2024, and with Cohen’s willing and deep pockets, inking the California native to a sizable multi-year deal is realistic to forecast, even with roughly $150 million on the books for 2025. They’ll have about $98.39 million in tax space and $128 million in cash to utilize toward signing a marquee talent like Flaherty. When they step up to the plate for the second time come winter, they could connect in a major way.
