Inside The Cardinals

Surprising American League Contender Called Best Fit For Ex-Cardinals Ace

One former Cardinals hurler is expected to be traded soon

Patrick McAvoy

Jul 19, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 19, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports / John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
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It's clear that there will be plenty of movement across Major League Baseball over the next few days and one former St. Louis Cardinals fan-favorite could end up playing elsewhere soon.

Former Cardinals hurler Jack Flaherty is expected to be one of the best players on the move over the next few days. Flaherty is no stranger to a trade deadline deal after being acquired by the Baltimore Orioles from St. Louis at last year's deadline.

Flaherty joined the Detroit Tigers in free agency this past offseason and now is expected to be moved once again. Detroit seems to be nearing a rebuild and Flaherty will be a hot commodity among contenders.

One team that was mentioned as the best fit for Flaherty is the surprising Cleveland Guardians by Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer.

"Elsewhere in the American League Central, the first-place Guardians rank dead-last with the 0.2 WAR they've gotten from their starting pitchers," Rymer said. "They needed to be seeking upgrades even before Tanner Bibee left his start on Wednesday with an injury.

"There's no solid connection between the Guardians and Flaherty, but he's the sort of top-of-the-rotation arm they must be prioritizing. And while trading with division opponents is never ideal, he'd cost them a lot less than, say, Garrett Crochet or Tarik Skubal."

Cleveland didn't have extremely high expectations heading into the 2024 season and yet here we are. The Guardians have been fantastic and are tied with the Baltimore Orioles with 61 wins. The Guardians have found ways to win games despite not getting much out of the rotation. Landing Flaherty immediately would help take them to another level.

More MLB: Yankees Urged To Land Ex-Cardinals All-Star Having Bounce-Back Season

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Patrick McAvoy

PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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