Yankees Linked To Ex-Cardinals $121 Million Star Following Resurgent Season

The former St. Louis hurler is due for a significant pay raise this winter

Aug 18, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) pitches during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Over the last decade, the St. Louis Cardinals have built a reputation for failing to seize star players' full potential before they're traded or moved on.

For instance, Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen was a third-round draft pick for the Cardinals in 2016 but was abruptly traded in a deal that sent him and Cy Young recipient Sandy Alcántara to the Miami Marlins for Marcell Ozuna, who's now one of the best hitters in the game with the Atlanta Braves.

Another former St. Louis homegrown talent traded away is having one of the best seasons of his career and could land a significant deal with baseball's most successful franchise this winter.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Jack Flaherty is set to hit the free agent market for the first time in his career this offseason and has been mentioned as a potential fit for the New York Yankees, according to Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer.

Flaherty posted a 41-31 record with a 3.58 ERA, 706-to-242 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .240 batting average against and a 1.19 WHIP throughout seven seasons with the Cardinals.

The 29-year-old was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles at last summer's trade deadline when the Cardinals were enduring their worst season in 33 years. With Flaherty set to become a free agent after last season, St. Louis didn't have much of a choice but to ship him away.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Flaherty rejuvenated his career after he signed with the Detroit Tigers last offseason and is now an essential piece to the Dodgers' postseason campaign.

According to Spotrac, the former St. Louis first-round draft pick has a market value of roughly $121 million over a six-year deal, translating to nearly $20 million annually.

If anyone has the money and influence to acquire the highly coveted RHP this offseason, it's the Yankees. With starting pitcher Nestor Cortes entering his final year of arbitration this winter, New York could look to replace him and Flaherty would be an excellent choice.

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