The New York Yankees were close to finalizing a trade for Detroit Tigers ace Jack Flaherty. There was a preliminary agreement in place, but Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman decided to withdraw at the last moment, paving the way for the Los Angeles Dodgers to step in and secure Flaherty just before the trade deadline.
Dodgers Capitalize as Yankees Hesitate
While the Dodgers bolstered their starting rotation by acquiring Flaherty, the Yankees refrained from making any more significant moves following their acquisition of Mark Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs. Flaherty’s recent health concerns, including a lower back injury requiring injections in early July, played a role in the Yankees’ decision-making process, echoing the risks they faced with Frankie Montas two years ago.
Cashman on the Decision
Cashman highlighted the challenges in valuing the trade, indicating that medical issues were a significant consideration. “At the end of the day, I would’ve brought Jack Flaherty in if I could’ve matched up, and I had difficulty matching up,” he explained. This difficulty in aligning on value ultimately led to the Yankees passing on the opportunity to add Flaherty to their roster.
Prospects and Player Development
The trade for Flaherty likely would have required the Yankees to part with top prospects like outfielder Spencer Jones, who is currently working to improve his strikeout and whiff rates. Meanwhile, Jasson Dominguez is showing promise, and the Yankees are allowing him ample time to recover from Tommy John surgery and a recent oblique injury.
Rotation Challenges
Despite missing out on Flaherty, who has been impressive this season with a 2.95 ERA and 11.22 strikeouts per nine innings, the Yankees are looking forward to the return of players from the injured list, such as Clarke Schmidt and Cody Poteet. However, the recent scratch of Gerrit Cole from his start due to full-body fatigue adds to the challenges facing the Yankees’ rotation.
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“In the end, we failed because we couldn’t match up on value,” Cashman reiterated, underscoring the complexities of trade negotiations. The Yanks hope that their current rotation will improve and that the returning players will help stabilize the team as they continue to compete at a high level.