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No doubt, if the Yankees make a move for another pitcher at the MLB trade deadline, something will have to give. And increasingly, it looks like a move could be made for Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, with current Yankees trade chip/starter Nestor Cortes possibly on the move out if a deal does go down.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Yankees are closing in on a trade for Flaherty, an impending free agent who signed a one-year, $14 million contract with Detroit in the offseason but is very much on the market as the Tigers have struggled this year.
Flaherty was scheduled to start against Cleveland on Monday night but was scratched in favor of Beau Brieske, intensifying speculation that he was about to be traded.
Nightengale reported on Twitter/X, “The New York Yankees are in extensive trade talks for Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, and plan to trade starter Nestor Cortes if they land Flaherty.”
Jack Flaherty Would Likely Be a Rental Acquisition
Flaherty is a rental, a fact that usually drives down the asking price of a player. But with the Orioles, and others, lingering as possible trade partners for Flaherty, the Tigers can create a bidding war that might well push the price to a surprising height.
Flaherty would be worth it. There are not many No. 2-3 starters on the market at this trade deadline, and he is no doubt one of those. Flaherty is 7-5 this season with a WHIP of 0.965, an ERA of 2.95 and 133 strikeouts in 106.2 innings.
Health has always been the big concern with Flaherty, though, after he made just 35 starts in three seasons with the Cardinals from the Covid-19-shortened 2020 year through 2022. He came back healthy in 2023, though he was not all that effective. Flaherty went 8-9 in 27 appearances with the Cardinals and Baltimore (he was added to the Orioles at the deadline), and posted an ERA of 4.99 on the year.
He struggled after being traded to the Orioles, and was dropped from the rotation. Flaherty made only one relief appearance in the playoffs last year, allowing three walks and a run in 2.0 innings.
The playoff mark on Flaherty (1-3, 3.60 ERA) is spotty enough to raise concerns about a Yankees trade, but considering the available options, a strong move for Flaherty makes sense.
Yankees Trade Could Lead to Nestor Cortes Departure
And the Yankees could keep Flaherty beyond this season if they so choose. Trading for Flaherty could give them a leg up in signing him in the offseason, as he will seek the first big-time contract of his career, having missed out on past paydays because he was hurt or, as with last year, generally ineffective.
Bleacher Report has him predicted to warrant a four-year, $72 million contract.
If Flaherty joins the fold via Yankees trade, it only makes sense that Cortes (4-9, 4.13 ERA) would go. He’s pitched above his head for much of the year, but has come crashing back to Earth in his last three starts, in which the Yankees have lost all three games as Cortes posted a 10.13 ERA and allowed opponents a .400 batting average in 13.1 innings.
Cortes downplayed the trade rumors on Monday, speaking to reporters. He made clear he does not want to be traded.
“I’m almost confident that the Yankees want me enough to stay here,” Cortes said, via The Athletic. “I know it’s just sometimes they need to improve in other areas. Other than that, I’m just playing it day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute.
“Of course I want to stay. It’s a winning team. It’s a team that I got drafted by and given me many opportunities. I’ve done a lot of good, some bad, but I’m still fighting and trying to claw my way up to being a proven starter and winning for this team.”
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