Yankees Secure Gerrit Cole for Four More Years, Set Sights on Jack Flaherty as Rotation Upgrade**
On November 4, the New York Yankees made a smart move by extending Gerrit Cole’s contract for another four seasons, ensuring the return of their ace. With Cole back in the rotation, the Yankees are taking a significant step toward solidifying an elite pitching staff for 2025.
However, the team still has other holes to fill in the rotation, and one potential target is right-hander Jack Flaherty.
Flaherty, who resurrected his career in 2024, was a key contributor for the Los Angeles Dodgers down the stretch and in the postseason. His performance this year may have boosted his value more than any other pitcher on the market, with a $100 million-plus contract now looking like a realistic possibility.
MLB Trade Rumors’ Darragh McDonald recently predicted that Flaherty could land a five-year, $115 million deal with the Yankees.
McDonald highlighted Flaherty’s impressive comeback story, noting how he went from a highly touted young ace to an injury-riddled pitcher before finding his groove again.
The former first-round pick posted a 2.95 ERA, a 32% strikeout rate, and just a 4.6% walk rate in 18 starts with Detroit, followed by solid numbers (3.58 ERA, 26.1% strikeout rate) in 55 1/3 innings with the Dodgers. With his solid season numbers and a return to free agency ahead of his age-29 season, Flaherty stands out as one of the youngest top-tier starters available.
**Yankees Were Interested at the Trade Deadline**
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Yankees pursued Flaherty this offseason, as they were reportedly interested in trading for him ahead of the 2024 trade deadline. However, negotiations fell through after concerns about a potential lower back injury.
According to Jon Heyman of the *New York Post*, the Yankees had advanced discussions with the Detroit Tigers for Flaherty, but ultimately backed off due to worries about the injury.
Heyman also noted that the Yankees were fortunate not to complete the deal, as they didn’t lack depth in their rotation and were the only playoff team with surplus starters. However, the Tigers were apparently interested in a trade involving right-hander Will Warren.
Despite these stalled talks, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman confirmed that they simply couldn’t line up on a deal for Flaherty at the time.
Jack Flaherty
“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,” Cashman said, as reported by Jorge Castillo of ESPN.
**Flaherty’s Potential Impact on the Yankees**
The Yankees got a firsthand look at the importance of a strong rotation in the postseason, where pitching plays a pivotal role in big games. If Flaherty had been part of their staff, things could have turned out differently.
Though Flaherty had struggled in the two years prior to this season, posting a 4.84 ERA in 2022 and 2023, his 2024 campaign was a major turnaround. With 194 strikeouts in 162 innings, Flaherty demonstrated elite strikeout ability once again.
His impressive bounce-back performance makes him an intriguing target for the Yankees, who might be looking to lock him up to a long-term contract as they aim to bolster their rotation for the future.
