Yankees ‘Backed Out’ of Trade Agreement for $14 Million Pitcher at the Deadline

Getty Jack Flaherty was almost headed to the New York Yankees.

The New York Yankees have made a big splash in the trade market. The team acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Miami Marlins on July 27. The team rounded out their trade deadline by adding Mark Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs and Enyel De Los Santos from the San Diego Padres. However, the Yankees “backed out of a preliminary trade agreement” with the Detroit Tigers for Jack Flaherty due to medical concerns.

“Jack Flaherty could have landed with the New York Yankees instead of the Los Angeles Dodgers,” wrote The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. “But according to sources briefed on the discussions, the Yankees backed out of a preliminary trade agreement with the Detroit Tigers for Flaherty after reviewing the right-hander’s medical records.”

Flaherty was traded to the Dodgers for catcher/first baseman Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney. According to Rosenthal, the Yankees offer for Flaherty is unknown.

“Medical reviews in trade negotiations are subjective,” wrote Rosenthal. “One team might view a player’s condition differently than another. A team also might lower its assessment of the player’s value based on the risk it believes it would incur by acquiring him, and seek to make a lesser offer.”

Yankees Injury Concerns With Flaherty

“The issue with Flaherty, his lower back, forced him to miss a start at the beginning of July and receive two injections in a span of three weeks,” wrote Rosenthal.

However, since returning, he has a 1.53 ERA in 17 2/3 in three starts. Ultimately, he has a 2.95 ERA in 106 2/3 innings.

“I can’t comment on medical stuff with trades,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris told reporters in Detroit. “You would have to ask the other teams. Jack is healthy. If we didn’t trade him, he was going to start for us on Thursday.”

Flaherty was the best pitcher traded at the deadline and could have been a boost for the Yankees rotation. He signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Tigers this offseason and will be a free agent after the season ends. However, the Yankees may not have been willing to deal prospects for a player who had injury concerns and no control past this year.

“The Yankees, though, might have been particularly sensitive to a medical issue with a potential trade acquisition,” wrote Rosenthal. “Frankie Montas, a right-handed starting pitcher they picked up at the 2022 deadline, experienced shoulder tightness before the trade and later said his shoulder wasn’t fully healthy when he joined the team. He wound up undergoing shoulder surgery, pitching a total of only 41 innings for the Yankees.”

Yankees Trade Deadline

The Yankees trade deadline was headlined by the acquisition of Chisholm. The Yankees needed offensive production from their infield and he brings that.

Chisholm has hit four home runs in three games on the Yankees. He had three home runs in the whole month of July prior to the trade. Chisholm is the first player in Yankees history to hit four homers in his first three games with the club.

Leiter and De Los Santos bring needed bullpen help to the Bronx. Leiter has a 4.10 ERA this season in 37 1/3 innings pitched. Additionally, he threw a scoreless inning on July 30, the same day he was acquired by the Yankees.

De Los Santos has a 4.46 ERA this season. He there 40 1/3 innings for the Padres before he was traded. The Yankees are 64-45 and half a game back of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. Their trade deadline acquisitions addressed some flaws. However, their true pay off will be determined by how far the Yankees go in the postseaosn.