The Cardinals are receiving positive signs about their rotation for 2023, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the club has “rising optimism” regarding the health of right-hander Jack Flaherty ahead of Spring Training.
Flaherty was once among the brightest talents on the St. Louis roster, as he placed in the top 4 of Cy Young voting in 2019 after a campaign that saw him post a 2.75 ERA (152 ERA+) over 196 1/3 innings, while also leading the NL in WHIP. Since then, however, Flaherty has struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness; he struggled badly in the shortened 2020 season to the tune of a 4.91 ERA (86 ERA+) in 40 1/3 innings, and his battles with shoulder injuries in recent years have led him to make just 12 starts from the second half of the 2021 season onward.
If Flaherty is indeed healthy, Goold notes that he could transform the look of a Cardinals rotation that’s full of solid arms but lacking in terms of ace-caliber talent. When he’s taken the mound in recent years, Flaherty has lost a tick of velocity on his pitches across the board, though it’s possible that better health could see him get back up to averaging just over 94 mph on his fastball as he did in 2019.
More from the National League…
- Sticking with the Cardinals, Goold also reports that right-hander Miles Mikolas is open to an extension with the club. Mikolas, a free agent at season’s end, put up an excellent season in 2022 where he pitched the third most innings in all of baseball (202 1/3) while posting a solidly above average 3.29 ERA (116 ERA+). That said, it’s not especially surprising that Mikolas would be interested in negotiating an extension. Mikolas is entering his age-34 season in 2023, and his sixth as a member of the Cardinals organization (though he did not pitch during the shortened 2020 season), having already extended with the club once back in 2019.
- Nationals lefty Sean Doolittle, who returned to the club on a minor-league deal this offseason, appears to be healthy and has been throwing off a mound with “no issues” for the past several weeks, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASN. Zuckerman adds that, if he can maintain his health throughout Spring Training, Doolittle is a favorite among non-roster invitees to make the Nationals Opening Day roster given their lack of depth in terms of left-handed bullpen options. Doolittle has spent parts of five seasons as a member of the Nationals bullpen and racked up 75 saves as a member of the team from 2017-2019. During those years, he was among the best lefty relievers in the game, sporting an impressive 2.94 ERA (150 ERA+) across 156 1/3 innings. The past three seasons have been filled with injury woes for Doolittle, however, and now entering his age-36 season, he’ll need to earn his way onto the Nationals roster this spring.
- Another experienced reliever who Zuckerman suggests could have a leg up on the competition to make the Nationals Opening Day bullpen is right-hander Alex Colome. Zuckerman notes that Washington GM Mike Rizzo has long been intrigued by Colome, who he discussed trading for at the 2016 trade deadline when Colome was a member of the Rays. Since then, Colome has bounced around the league, picking up saves as a member of the Mariners, White Sox, Twins, and Rockies. He remained an effective reliever until last season, when he struggled badly in Colorado to the tune of a 5.74 ERA (82 ERA+). Still, Colome would bring a veteran presence to the Nationals bullpen, and it’s fair to wonder if getting away from Coors Field could help him regain his previous form as he prepares for his age-34 season.
Extend the Lizard King!
“I am the Lizard King, I can do anything!”
The cardinals really need a healthy and effective Jack flaherty. If not, then I can see them trading from the farm for a proven SP, which is fine, but it sounds like we got a lot of good, controllable young players coming up soon that I’d like to see get a chance. Some of our recent trades have seen a lot of our young players thrive elsewhere. We definitely need that “ace” though.
Trading from the farm? What team has a solidly above average starting pitcher they’re willing to move? Nobody that I know of. Seattle has Flexen, but he’s more of a 4/5.
I would love for the jays to get rid of manoah he’s nothing but drama a little man child we’ll give you him for Gorman
@Little Stevie Janowsky
*blinks
Manoah is at least a number 2 starter right now, at least. Gorman isn’t even assured a full time gig, although I am still pretty high on him. I hope you weren’t suggesting a 1 for 1 trade. Besides St Louis is going to trade him to my Tigers at the deadline do I’ll stop bugging them about it 😉
Manoah is a club house cancer I would get rid of him for free tbh. He has negative value. Absolute man child
Tigers will take him for free if you are offering!
Flaherty-best 6 innings/100 pitches money can buy. Not even remotely close to an Ace unless your standard are those bottom of the barrel ones established by the long term memory loss of the sabermetrics crowd.
I hope he has a Cy young type season, so we can either trade him if we are out of the race or go deep in the playoffs and QO him. I see zero chance he stays a cardinal after this year.
These moves will Doolittle for the
Nationals in the win Colome.
*golf clap… Bravo!
When I first saw Doolittle, I thought they were talking about Reds management.
Flaherty is burnt toast.
Isn’t 2023 the year that Stephen Strasburg comes back from his 3 years of injuries to throw 200 plus innings of sub 2 ERA ball?
Cardinals won’t win more than 75 games this season
Somehow I doubt that
They’ll at least play .500 ball, but I don’t see much beyond that with the balanced schedule. I say that for most of the top 3 teams in the Central though.
There are ridiculous comments and then there is whatever in the h*** this is. Less than 75 wins? You should try and watch a baseball game or two sometime this year. Seems like you’ve been out of it for a while.
U mad bro?
Maybe you should get out of mom’s basement and live in the real world. What a joke
Ironically, “The Cardinals won’t win more than 75 games” is the absolute epitome of what a mom’s basement troll would say.
I’m very much in the real world. If you want to bet on whether or not the Cardinals win 76 games in the real world, I am in, at any amount.
Brock, I’ve got to ask: what is your team? I’m hoping it’s an NL Central rival and your “reason” is being skewed by your inherent bias.
Brock Louis, are you expecting the season to end before August is over? That’s the only explanation for your comment.
Nope. Cards will tank in April and blame the no shift and balanced schedule. The Cardinal way is moaning about everything
I thought the Cardinal Way was having a winning record every year but one this century, going to the playoffs often, and occasionally winning a World Series title.
Im as curious as Cardsfan21 about which team is your favorite.
Cardinals pitchers have flamed out pretty quick recently- Martinez, Reyes, Flaherty.
A lot of their hitters do as well. It’s weird, because the obviously have an eye for talent but tons of their players are only good for one or two seasons.
Miles Mikolas is the reason I wake up every day
They still have half of the most overrated battery in baseball!
Aww, somebody needs some attention…
When I first saw Doolittle, I thought they were talking about Flaherty’s typical season.
Good one. Cards are losers. It’s a mizzou thing
Flaherty is going to have a top-3 Cy Young finish and then walk in free agency.
Flaherty is nothing but drama. No idea why cards refuse to get rid of him
Cards would’ve gotten rid of him if anybody was interested… but like you say, he is nothing but drama. His future doesn’t appear to be as a starting pitcher.
The Tigers will also take him for free if you want;)
I wonder since the ST Louis Cardinals sign Wilson Contreras away from Chicago Cubs. Would the Chicago be open at trade deadline to Deal one or both top available players that will be on open market per Jon Heyman.
And that would be Ian Happ and Kyle Hendricks.
Just asking
You sure Heyman didn’t say John Haff and Keith Hendrickson?
Fantasy baseball auction league anyone?
It seems to fit the script for Flaherty to come out and dominate this season. He knows that he has past performance and just needs one stellar season to cash in. Heaven helptheteamthatsignshimlong term.