Headlines

  • Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment
  • Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Braves Select Craig Kimbrel
  • Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox
  • White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel
  • Sign Up For Trade Rumors Front Office Now And Lock In Savings!
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Where Will Jack Flaherty End Up?

By Nick Deeds | January 6, 2025 at 10:05am CDT

If there’s been one defining characteristic of the 2024-25 offseason so far (aside from Juan Soto’s record-shattering contract), it’s that the market for starting pitching has been extremely robust. On the heels of a 2023-24 offseason that saw top-of-the-market arms like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery linger on the market until the calendar flipped to March, right-hander Michael Wacha kicked things off by re-upping with the Royals before free agency started and the pace hasn’t slowed down much since then. After right-hander Corbin Burnes reached a deal with the Diamondbacks in the final days of December, nearly every notable starting pitcher was already off the market by the time the calendar flipped to January.

Perhaps the biggest exception to that is right-hander Jack Flaherty, who MLBTR ranked as the offseason’s #8 free agent (fourth among starters) at the outset of the winter as part of our annual Top 50 MLB Free Agents list. At the time, we predicted Flaherty would land a five-year, $115MM pact in free agency. That prediction at least seems to have ended up in the right ballpark, as Flaherty is reportedly seeking a five-year deal at this stage of his free agency. Between the winter’s robust market for pitching and the fact that Flaherty was able to reach free agency unencumbered by a Qualifying Offer thanks to a midseason trade from the Tigers to the Dodgers, it stands to reason that he should have a strong chance of reaching that sort of deal.

On the other hand, however, it’s worth noting that there are some signs the market for pitching has begun to cool. Burnes’s deal with Arizona just before the New Year came with a strong average annual value and a potentially lucrative opt-out clause after the second year, but the deferred money involved in the deal reportedly knocks the net present value of the pact below $200MM. MLBTR predicted a seven-year, $200MM pact for Burnes at the outset of the winter, so while even that diminished net present value is more-or-less in line with expectations headed into the offseason, the deal in some ways pales in comparison to the one signed by Max Fried earlier in the winter and certainly falls short of the righty’s reported asking price of $245MM.

If the market for starters has indeed begun to cool somewhat, it’s possible that the market for Flaherty could start to fizzle out when the start of Spring Training games draws near. After all, we need only look back at Montgomery and Snell last winter to see how a pitcher’s market can collapse once they don’t have enough time left to have a typical Spring Training. For now, however, Flaherty still seems to enjoy a fairly robust market. The Blue Jays, Giants, Cubs, Tigers and Oroles have all been connected to the right-hander in recent days.

The Blue Jays and Giants have both been connected to the majority of the offseason’s high-end free agents, as neither club has been particularly shy about its desire to land impact talent this winter. Toronto was notably among the apparent finalists for Burnes before he signed in Arizona, and while the Giants were also strongly connected to Burnes there’s been some indications in the aftermath of his deal with the Diamondbacks that San Francisco is more focused on offense than pitching. Given that the Giants have been attached to first baseman Pete Alonso, it’s possible that the club’s interest in a pitcher of Flaherty’s caliber is more as a backup plan in case they find themselves unable to land the big bat they desire. There’s a possibility that a similar situation could play out with the Blue Jays, as well. The club is known to have extended an offer to outfielder Anthony Santander already, and reporting earlier this winter suggested that Toronto may only have room for one significant multi-year deal in the budget.

It’s possible that the Tigers fall into a similar boat. While the club certainly has the payroll flexibility to make multiple significant multi-year additions if they so desire, president of baseball operations Scott Harris has seemed to be hesitant about making significant multi-year commitments this winter, instead opting to land Alex Cobb and Gleyber Torres on one-year deals. That hasn’t stopped them from engaging in the markets of some big-time free agents, but with Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson helping to anchor a young rotation it’s easy to imaging the club prioritizing a hitter if they decide to offer a nine-figure deal to a player this winter. To that end, Detroit has been one of the teams most frequently connected to third baseman Alex Bregman and also appears to be in the mix for Santander.

Two clubs that have been generally focused on pitching upgrades this winter are the Orioles and the Cubs. Baltimore has already added Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton to its rotation this winter, and those additions have left them with a deep group of potential starters that isn’t in desperate need of another arm. With that being said, neither Sugano nor Morton can be expected to replace Burnes as the ace of the staff, and with 2023’s staff ace Kyle Bradish expected to miss at least the first half of 2025 it’s fair to think the club would benefit from adding a player of Flaherty’s caliber. To that end, they’ve seemingly remained on the periphery of his market as they continue their search for upgrades even after last week’s deal for Morton.

As for Chicago, they in some ways appear to be the best fit for Flaherty’s services. The Cubs appear to be mostly set on offense after adding Kyle Tucker and Carson Kelly; while there’s potentially room at third base for another bat, they haven’t been closely connected to Alex Bregman in free agency given the presence of top prospect Matt Shaw as a potential Opening Day starter at the position. There’s been plenty of buzz about them adding to their pitching staff, however, and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic recently described another rotation addition as “inevitable” for the club, whether that’s a move to improve depth or bringing a more impactful piece into the fold. Flaherty would certainly fall into the latter category, but it’s worth noting that Sharma reported earlier this winter that while the Cubs have engaged with Flaherty, they were feeling a bit squeamish about his asking price at that point.

There’s some incentive for Flaherty to wait at least a little longer before making his decision: the presence of right-hander Roki Sasaki on the market. Sasaki is being pursued by a large number of teams and is rumored to have met with at least two Flaherty suitors: the Giants and Cubs. Given his unique situation as a potential front-of-the-rotation piece who can be had for nothing more than a minor league deal (and a hefty portion of a club’s international bonus pool), it’s easy to imagine a number of pitching-hungry clubs focusing their attention squarely on Sasaki while he’s available. The right-hander’s decision is due by January 23, so it’s not hard to imagine Flaherty waiting for that date in case a club that misses out on Sasaki either steps up their offer or enters the fray as a new potential suitor.

In the meantime, how do you think Flaherty’s free agency will play out? Will he land with one of his currently known suitors, or will a “mystery team” swoop in and get a deal done? Is the right-hander going to land a deal within the ballpark of MLBTR’s prediction? Will he fall short of, or perhaps exceed, expectations? Have your say in the polls below.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

MLBTR Originals MLBTR Polls Jack Flaherty

The Opener: Santander, Infield Market, Cartaya
Main
Reds Acquire Owen White
View Comments (139)
Post a Comment

139 Comments

  1. BobbyLox69

    5 months ago

    pumping gas

    14
    Reply
    • pohle

      5 months ago

      keeping the stove on with zero flame

      1
      Reply
      • 178iq

        5 months ago

        Things are drying up. Seems like the contracts guys are looking for aren’t there. There’s a lot of this where is he gonna end up for jack, Santander and others… Alonso??!?! no one wants to over pay for 1/2 way talent. Except Soto lol. I think they over paid but $200,000,000

        3
        Reply
        • bronyaur

          5 months ago

          Haven’t most deals so far been for more than projected?

          1
          Reply
  2. dasit

    5 months ago

    i’d say orioles but they’re acting like a team in a rebuild

    5
    Reply
    • King Floch

      5 months ago

      The Orioles had like 3 holes to fill (one of which was backup C) and they’ve spent like the 6th or 7th most money this offseason.

      2
      Reply
      • Comment Section Mod

        5 months ago

        If that’s the case they’ve spent it very poorly

        11
        Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          I don’t think so.

          I’m fairly satisfied overall with the moves we’ve made.

          4
          Reply
        • dasit

          5 months ago

          championship windows can close in a hurry. if i were an o’s fan i would want more of an aggressive go-for-it-now approach but admittedly we don’t know what kind of financial restraints elias is working under

          3
          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          I don’t want that actually, Dan Duquette operated that way and completely destroyed the franchise with nothing to show for it at the end of the day.

          Mike Elias clearly wants the Orioles to be a perennial contender instead of a “short window, tear it down and start over” type of team, and I am totally cool with that approach.

          5
          Reply
        • Devlsh

          5 months ago

          dasit – I agree! Prospects go stale and lose value when they’re blocked, and the time for the O’s is now. Thus far, the Elias group has shown a knack for converting high draft picks into blue chip prospects but they haven’t yet shown the ability to put the finishing touches on a WS championship caliber team. I suspect their plan is to augment at the trade deadline, but building a rotation of ‘meh’ starters to support a truly elite group of young position players is a mistake, IMHO.

          4
          Reply
        • James123

          5 months ago

          as of now they are spending like a team that does not want to get bogged down by a massive contract from FA when they have several home grown guys going through arbitration that will need long term deals.

          Os fan here- and i think they plugged holes well. Oneil was a great signing for their handedness issue for their hitters. They needed 2 SP and they found 2 guys who should be mid rotation guys (Sugano and Morton) who took short term deals. I would have been happier with a Kikuchi type, but the market this year made those guys get an extra 10m or more- so i get why they pivoted to the older (yet still very productive) options. MadMax would be icing on the cake if they want to go all short term rentals in their rotaion.

          Reply
        • PoisonedPens

          5 months ago

          Other teams are getting better. Subbing Morton for Burnes and adding O’Neill isn’t really getting better

          7
          Reply
        • James123

          5 months ago

          i think they learned their lesson on stagnant prospects with Stowers, Joey Ortiz and that lot. They are all going to be solid big leaguers that they had to sell for less than they should have.

          Reply
        • Baseballisthebest

          5 months ago

          What moves? Lose any Ace, add a 40 year old MLB perfect for the #5 slot and a 35 year old that has never pitched in MLB. Replacing 40 HR Santander with oft-injured O’Neil on a short term deal. That sounds like a rebuild to me. Certainly not a team that is trying to contend.

          4
          Reply
        • stymeedone

          5 months ago

          The players they added would never be considered by a rebuilding team. They fit nicely on a contender filling needs.

          3
          Reply
        • Baseballisthebest

          5 months ago

          They are short term contracts that teams like the A’s and Marlins and others not expected to contend regularly fill their roster with. None of them push the team forward because none are as good as the players they are replacing on the roster.

          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          O’Neill massively upgrades the area that the Orioles actually needed to improve this offseason, which was the offense against lefties. Sanchez should too and will probably DH against LHPs in O’Hearn’s place. The offense will still be extremely potent against righties, even with Santander’s departure, so I’m quite happy with those moves

          The pitching acquisitions are not terribly exciting but they should at least solidify the 3rd and 4th starter spots until July and they also push Kremer down into the 5th starter, where he is actually quite solid. I do expect us to be on the lookout for a more traditional TOR SP for the playoffs at the deadline next year if it is still needed, which might also depend partly on where Bradish is on his rehab process.

          2
          Reply
        • Baseballisthebest

          5 months ago

          So you agree. The moves the Orioles have made did not make them better.

          1
          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          BIB- I do not agree, although it certainly could prove true in the end. That would not completely shock me either. The arms the O’s added should be pretty solid, but it’s definitely not a lock either. Maybe one is good and one is bad, who knows? That could just as easily happen with Jack Flaherty and Sean Manaea though.

          I would say that I believe the offense and defense will be better next year but the rotation will probably take a step back, but not necessarily a massive one and we’ll have plenty of trade ammo on hand if a TOR SP is still needed for Game 1 or 2 of the playoffs.

          The bullpen still needs another arm but we have been reported to be shopping for one, so we’ll have to wait and see how it turns out.

          1
          Reply
        • stymeedone

          5 months ago

          Sugano is too iffy a proposition to be trade bait at the deadline, and Morton is too expensive. Rebuilding teams look for bargains that may rebound. O’Neil is exactly what the O’s were looking for.

          Reply
        • stymeedone

          5 months ago

          They didn’t make them worse. If you make the playoffs, anything can happen.

          Reply
        • Baseballisthebest

          5 months ago

          Let’s see. None are as good as the players they are replacing so you think that didn’t make them worse?

          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          I think O’Neill and Sanchez are clear improvements when considering our specific needs. I think the rotation has taken a step back if no further moves occur, but I don’t think it’s a catastropihic dropoff or anything and it can still be corrected midseason even if it is. The bullpen is still TBD.

          Basically I am expecting a modest overall improvement or very slight step back, though I lean towards the former, especially if another decent RP is added.

          1
          Reply
        • dasit

          5 months ago

          i’m not the biggest santander fan but he has the most underrated tool which is health. o’neill makes stanton look like cal ripken. here are number of games o’neill has played in the last six years:

          60
          50
          138
          96
          72
          113

          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          I expect that Kjerstad will be deployed pretty liberally against righty SPs to get O’Neill frequent rest and also protect him from the tougher righties out there.

          1
          Reply
    • Echopark

      5 months ago

      Gotta wait until Sasaki is off the board. And Alonso and Bregman are signed. If Giants get none, then maybe they hit the bid. Not sure he can get 5 years even in this market. In fact, won’t be surprised with 3 years and opt-out. 3 x 72 with opt-outs. Too much inconsistency. Back concerns. And let’s face it, nailing one of several starts in the post-season was not a great look.

      5
      Reply
      • Echopark

        5 months ago

        Oh, and he also might need to wait until some flyers like Verlander and Scherzer are off the board.

        Reply
      • houstondodgerblue

        5 months ago

        Just a thought. If a team like the Giants miss on both or Bregman and Alonso, would adding Flaherty turn them into a playoff contender? He would absolutely help. My take is that if a team hits on Bregman or Alonso, then they would further spend and get Flaherty to really solidify their chances.

        Reply
    • Big whiffa

      5 months ago

      It’s apparent O’s didn’t want to go back down that well and I don’t blame them. There’s also the chance flaherty wasn’t coming back to Baltimore. Either way, you have to assume they both kicked tires on a reunion

      3
      Reply
      • James123

        5 months ago

        i said this at the start of the offseason- but my buddies (i live in the baltimore burbs) seemed to not care about how bad he was for that short stint. i do not think he get roasted by fans.

        They traded for him since they knew he still had it- but just mistimed it.

        Reply
    • MLB Top 100 Commenter

      4 months ago

      He sucked for the orange birds last time.

      I say one year with Tigers or Giants at $23 million.

      Reply
  3. Goose

    5 months ago

    He must be trying to shoot the moon on his first healthy season in years. He may be wise to try to get the same deals Snell and Montgomery got last year. If he has a good season, two back to back will probably give someone confidence to give him a long term big contract.

    3
    Reply
    • James123

      5 months ago

      may 5 years at 120m (in line with projections) with an opt out at 2 years or something. I suspect he wants longer term since he knows how much of a gamble health can be. 4 years ago this guy was a bonfide ACE that should have been getting 300m offers- so he knows the risks.

      Reply
  4. dajuba

    5 months ago

    I’m not sure where he ends up but I don’t think it will be with one of the 5 teams listed.

    1
    Reply
  5. Jiggs

    5 months ago

    Anywhere but the Cubs please.

    5
    Reply
    • bronyaur

      5 months ago

      Who do you think would be a better fit for the Cubs at the price that SP will fetch?

      Reply
      • Jiggs

        5 months ago

        Steele, Shota, Tallion, Assad, pretty good starting 4. Then you have 6 guys fighting for 5th spot. I wouldn’t be signing a SP. BP was the problem last year.

        Reply
  6. sad tormented neglected mariners fan

    5 months ago

    He signs with the dodgers because why wouldn’t he want deferred money

    1
    Reply
    • For Love of the Game

      5 months ago

      $750k a year for 134 years is $100 mill.!

      2
      Reply
    • VegasSDfan

      5 months ago

      I think its a safe bet, he lands back in LA

      Reply
  7. King Floch

    5 months ago

    I definitely would have preferred Flaherty to Morton for the Orioles, but I could absolutely see a scenario where Morton is better than Flaherty in 2025 due to Flaherty’s consistent inconsistency, so I’m not too broken up about it.

    2
    Reply
    • Big whiffa

      5 months ago

      That said for this season, so there’s additional value coming out of Morton’s contract that doesn’t lock up payroll for 4-5 seasons. That’s also why he’s the better addition imo. Removes long term financial risk

      3
      Reply
      • King Floch

        5 months ago

        Yeah, Burnes was clearly our first choice and I guess there weren’t any other guys Elias wanted on an expensive long-term deal, or at least to the point of beating the deals they ended up getting from other teams, so Morton and Sugano are perfectly acceptable placeholders for the time being and they only required cash to acquire, so we still have all of our trade chips if an upgrade is still needed at the deadline.

        2
        Reply
    • BITA

      5 months ago

      I can see a scenario where Morton is washed up and he retired in July. He’s 40 years old.

      Reply
      • King Floch

        5 months ago

        Sure, that could happen, but looking at his underlying metrics from 2024, there’s no particular reason to think it will.

        5
        Reply
        • BITA

          5 months ago

          He’s 41 years old and had his worst FIP in 2024 since 2010.

          I would say that’s a reason……

          1
          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          He still gets plenty of Ks and tons of groundballs, he’ll be fine as the 4th starter.

          1
          Reply
        • BITA

          5 months ago

          Is that what the Orioles needed? Another 4th starter?

          2
          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          I was expecting Elias to add a single starter who slotted in as the 1 or 2, but the guy we wanted for that role specifically wanted to play in Arizona for personal reasons, so we instead added 2 starters who slot in as the 3 and 4 while also keeping our powder dry for the trade deadline and next offseason.

          It’s not exactly what I wanted but it’s still an acceptable outcome for now, and at least according to Ken Rosenthal, another bigger addition is still being considered, so it may not even be the final rotation arrangement anyway.

          1
          Reply
        • BITA

          5 months ago

          Who is the Orioles ace?

          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          At least right now, I would expect that Zach Eflin will start on opening day.

          Further moves could change that, of course.

          1
          Reply
        • Big whiffa

          5 months ago

          I don’t think his starter position matters. They have 7/8 starters. They just need to maximize production out of them. If Morton pitches a 110 quality innings he’s worth every cent and was the right signing

          And it takes a long time to change culture in baseball. O’s are still last in culture in AL East with 3 of the best ran franchises ahead of them and two of them have top 5 payroll in mlb capacity. So it’s not like FA are lining up to sign in Baltimore

          Reply
        • Susannah

          5 months ago

          Grayson Rodriguez may end up being one.

          1
          Reply
        • Devlsh

          5 months ago

          BITA – I agree. The Orioles have this wealth of young talent and it’s up to the front office to fill in the gaps. Burnes was a legit #1; accumulating marginal starters is NOT what this team needed.

          And for the record, I don’t think Flaherty is the answer either.

          1
          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          So who should they have signed instead, Devlsh?

          Snell reportedly wanted to play on the west coast and the reigning world champions from LA offered him a truckload of cash to do so, so he clearly wasn’t coming to Baltimore, and Fried’s contract from the Yankees is already an obvious overpay and the Orioles likely would have had to beat it to get him to sign with them.

          With Burnes wanting to play in Arizona to be close to his wife and newborn twins, that covers the 3 available “aces.”

          1
          Reply
        • Devlsh

          5 months ago

          KingFloch – I agree, it’s not always as easy as we fans like to think. That said, I think Manaea and Eovaldi are more the type of FA starter I would have expected, even if they project more as #2/3 types. The Braves, another playoff team who knew him best, opted against re-signing Morton; (that’s a red flag) and Sugano is a viable toss of the dice….but a playoff caliber team should do better than that.

          The alternative is the trade market, The O’s deserve credit for acquiring Burnes and Eflin; but that Rogers deal was horrid. Luzardo seems like a deal they could have made; his upside is potential ace. They should also have been identifying young SPs in AA or above the last couple years and going after them, offering up blocked or redundant offensive talent.

          From my outside perspective, Grayson is a potential top-of-the-rotation arm, and Eflin is decent. After that, I’m unimpressed with the rest of the group, and don’t see the upside you’d like to see.

          3
          Reply
        • James123

          5 months ago

          yes. they needed an ace and a mid rotation guy. Burnes was the ace last year with Bradish out at least the first half they need the #1 guy. Going into the offseason they had Grayson who could step up to be a #1 but right now is safely a mid rotation guy. Eflin who is a sure fire #3 Starter…. then it gets dicey. Deam Kreamer is below average at best- and a 5th starter to most teams. Povich did not pitch well in the bigs last year and should be compteting for a 5th spot. Albert was good but a retread no other team would trust beyond being a swingman. McDermott is in the same boat as povich (5th starter competition).

          So they went in with 2 guys in the middle of the rotation and a bunch of good options as 5th starters and depth pieces. Sugano was brought in as the cheap mid rotation guy (35 but has been an ace forever in asia), and morton gives them a legit 4th guy until bradish is back (and by then statistically one of the 4 guys will be hurt). They needed 2 SP, and did that. They honestly can add another still and just be bumping the #5 compttion guys and having a safety net for injury.

          1
          Reply
        • James123

          5 months ago

          Grayson Rod. Right now, and Bradish when healthy (went down to TJS around the all star break last year, so possible to have him back mid season).

          Sugano’s numbers last year suggest he has that ability even if he is 35 and the k rate has slipped. So i could see it happening but a much longer shot than Grayson stepping up from mid rotation to ACE this year.

          Povich has a super long shot to take the steps needed to be front of the rotation (but he has the stuff). Same with McDermott (stuff but long shot to put it all together). Morton has never been an ace is a mid rotation guy. The same applies for Elfin- who is a mid rotation guy and the K rate will keep him from ever being an ace. They have the retread guy they got at the deadline (i am blanking on the name) but i suspect he is in the minors for much of the year to see if the can fix him.

          Reply
        • James123

          5 months ago

          you are right- i assumed they would have been front an center in the chrocet trade market….. that felt like an offer the Os could have topped without selling out the future.

          1
          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          Eovaldi is a Texas guy who got 3/$75 million (beating basically all of his contract projections) from a Texas team to stay in Texas, so what would the Orioles have had to offer to get him to come to Baltimore? 4/$100 million? And I don’t see Manaea as likely to be considerably better than Sugano or Morton, or at least not enough to justify sacrificing a draft pick and guaranteeing him 3/$75 million (probably a good bit more to get him to leave the Mets actually).

          The trade market was (and still is) an avenue to an actual rotation upgrade, but the Red Sox massively overpaid for Crochet’s half season track record of success as a starter and Luzardo’s 2024 was an injury-riddled affair with extremely middling results, so it’s not like a bunch of guys have changed hands that I would have gone out of my way to acquire.

          Morton is still solid and Sugano may end up being one of the shrewdest moves of the offseason when the dust settles, and we still have all of our trade capital if reinforcements are still needed at the deadline, plus we haven’t bogged ourselves down with any future deadweight contracts, which is great for our future competitive outlook, so while it is not exactly what I had in mind, it’s still a pretty decent outcome, especially since the new owner has conclusively proven that he will be much more generous with payroll capacity than John Angelos ever was.

          1
          Reply
        • BITA

          5 months ago

          Yeah Flaherty shouldn’t be counted on as an ace for a legit contender. Perhaps a number 2 but not an ace.

          Reply
        • BITA

          5 months ago

          Fried would have been a good fit. He’s a lefty. Has some injury concerns but he’s an ace when healthy.

          Trade for Crochet

          Not only did they miss out on both guys each of them went to a division rival so it’s a double whammy.

          The Orioles have no ace. They have a lot of question marks in their rotation. They have depth but no ace.

          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          The Orioles not massively overpaying for Crochet or Fried like the Red Sox and Yankees did is a good thing, BITA.

          2
          Reply
        • BITA

          5 months ago

          Yes the Orioles care more about draft picks and prospects than they do winning.

          1
          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          Elias has a specific plan, which is much more complex and nuanced than you seem to believe (or at least are willing to admit), and he’s mostly sticking to it for the time being because it has worked out pretty well so far, and perceptive, attentive Orioles fans should hopefully recognize it by now:

          Steady talent pipeline + payroll flexibility to address needs as they arise + trading excess prospects for higher end talent when need be (i.e. Burnes and Eflin) + trading away expendable complimentary pieces in arb 2 or 3 for prospects or other complimentary pieces (i.e. Mancini, Lopez, and Hays).

          For me personally, after watching almost 40 years of Orioles GMs with bad plans, unsustainable plans, or no real plans at all (with a rare few exceptions, like Andy MacPhail, who set up the foundation and walls of the contender that Dan Duquette later took credit for), Mike Elias is a breath of fresh air.

          2
          Reply
        • stymeedone

          5 months ago

          “…3 of the best ran franchises…”
          Yankees, Boston, Toronto, and Tampa Bay. 3 of those have large budgets, and the 4th is the only one I’d say is among the best run. The others just try to spend.

          1
          Reply
        • stymeedone

          5 months ago

          @Devish
          Braves are tying to drop under the Luxury Tax. Morton no longer fit in their budget.

          1
          Reply
        • Devlsh

          5 months ago

          King F – I admire your optimism, but the fact remains: The Orioles haven’t acquired anyone with even the upside of a top-of-the-rotation standing, and they HAVE lost an ace

          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          Devlsh- Sure, that’s how it worked out, but Elias raised the rotation’s floor significantly by adding a pair of competent veterans that push Kremer down to the 5th spot in the rotation and Suarez/Rogers/Povich out completely. When paired with our elite offense, solid bullpen, and solid rotation depth, that should be more than good enough to have us in playoff position at the deadline with plenty of trade fodder for a game 1 or 2 playoff starter if we need one.

          1
          Reply
        • BITA

          5 months ago

          Lugano and Morton might be washed up is wouldn’t say they raised the floor with those signings. They got risky old pitchers to replace an ace.

          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          But there is no actual, particular reason to expect either of them to be “washed up.”

          Like you can spam “BUT THEY’RE OLD” all you want, but I’m going to need more than that here because Morton’s surface level stats and underlying metrics looked perfectly fine in 2024 and Sugano had one of his best seasons ever last year and has a deep repetoire of solid pitches for the Orioles pitching lab guys to tinker with next year.

          1
          Reply
        • BITA

          5 months ago

          Morton is 41. That’s certainly an age where a player begins to lose it. And he wasn’t any good in 2024. Those are 2 reasons.

          Lugano is who knows what. He might be good. He might be terrible. Who knows.

          The Orioles have no ace.

          1
          Reply
        • King Floch

          5 months ago

          So “BUT THEY’RE OLD” is basically all you’ve got.

          Glad we cleared that up lol.

          2
          Reply
        • DroppedThirdStrike

          5 months ago

          Having an ace matters in a short series. The roster isn’t set until end of July

          Reply
        • bronyaur

          5 months ago

          Jim Palmer.

          Reply
  8. Big whiffa

    5 months ago

    This is the guy I’d pay if I was Detroit. He had success there and signed as a FA and then set up him up for a ring. So he has to be pleased with his Detroit experience. Go pay him what he wants and have that anchor in your rotation for next few seasons. Seems a safe bet

    5
    Reply
    • gotigers68

      5 months ago

      Three years, ……..tops.

      2
      Reply
    • Hard to walk with four balls

      5 months ago

      I’m not sure a guy with his record is safe at anything.

      Reply
    • For Love of the Game

      5 months ago

      We’re talking about Jack Flaherty, not Tarik Skubal who is the actual ace of the rotation.

      That being said, I would take 29 yr. old Flaherty for 5 yrs.,/$100 mill. over 33 yr. old Sean Maneaa at 3 yrs./$75 mill.

      2
      Reply
    • Motor City Beach Bum

      5 months ago

      I agree go get him. They need a #2 and this gives them a great rotation.

      1
      Reply
  9. JayRyder

    5 months ago

    G’s want him but I don’t think they’ll get him. Players not going to the Dodgers at this point is because the dodgers have a roster crunch. Everyone wants to play there. And know if they don’t they’ll lose.

    1
    Reply
  10. ray1

    5 months ago

    Hoping the Cubs add a ‘pen piece or 2, and some 3rd base depth.

    1
    Reply
  11. brood550

    5 months ago

    The Cubs are allergic to spending money. They’ve cut around 48 million in salary from last year(they were already below the luxury tax threshold) . For being a top 5 franchise by valuation they are going to continue to operate like the Rays when they were seen as an extension of the Yankees’ farm system. No way they sign Flaherty.

    They are going to use thoughts and prayers to propel Matthew Boyd to cover 130 innings for the first time since 2019. Maybe they’ll even sacrifice a chicken ala Pedro Serrano in Major League 2.

    1
    Reply
    • Mets Era Thumping Soto

      5 months ago

      You wouldn’t have thought they just traded for one of the games superstars.

      1
      Reply
      • brood550

        5 months ago

        A 1 year rental? To clear another 13 million when he leaves in FA. LOL, talking as though that automatically makes them a contender.

        Reply
    • mike127

      5 months ago

      That’s just a completely false statement, brood. You can argue that the way they spend money doesn’t frequently turn out wise, but when you are over the threshold (even if by mistake) you are not “allergic” to spending money.

      And as I stare at my calendar it seems to be January 6th. I think the consensus out here is that Sasaki will most likely sign elsewhere, yet as we are less than two weeks away from that announcement I’m willing to guess that there are backup plans in place–to formalize the roster once he picks his team.

      And to the “no way they sign Flaherty”—-I’m in the strong camp that that would turn out not wise. Please, strong “no” to Flaherty from this fan.

      4
      Reply
      • brood550

        5 months ago

        At 29 and showing that he’s healthy by having a career year last season? I think he’d be a great fit on a 4 year deal with a vesting option for a 5th year. Guy has pitched in both leagues(which really doesn’t matter anymore) and in plenty of different ballparks and succeeded. I was hoping they would’ve went after Buehler due to the love of short term deals. But no we got 33 year old Boyd who hasn’t pitched 100 innings since 2019 and hasn’t even averaged 5 innings a start since 2021.

        Reply
    • Manfred Rob's Earth Band

      5 months ago

      “The Cubs are allergic to spending money. the way I think they should” There I fixed it for you.

      3
      Reply
      • brood550

        5 months ago

        For being a “big market” team(top 5 in valuation) they should be spending more. Trying to build a team on a budget well under the luxury tax threshold doesn’t make a lot of sense with their financial resources. No I don’t want them to just sign big contracts for the sake of it. But their were other options out there that fit their scheme of short-term deals that were better options. The ownership group got their WS win in 2016. Their just going to ride that and the Marquee network until the fans tune out.

        Reply
        • Manfred Rob's Earth Band

          5 months ago

          Spending more than what? Should they be at a certain Tier of luxury tax they exceed? They exceeded it last year. I see your point on spending money though One thing that Theo brought to the Cubs is he was very transparent with his plan. Jed is more reserved and isn’t transparent with his agenda. The Ricketts are hard to blame when it’s Jed in charge and he has given very different results than Theo.

          Reply
        • brood550

          5 months ago

          Jed only spends what he is allowed too. Can’t just go out like Brian Cashman with a blank check Ala George Steinbrenner. And, I get that. But as a team with the valuation they have, they should always be competitive. They’ve been perpetually rebuilding since 2019 and signing short term deals and acquiring prospects. Now they’re trading prospects but for what? Expiring contracts of players they know they wont resign.

          Reply
        • Manfred Rob's Earth Band

          5 months ago

          It is up to Jed to present what he wants to spend on and all details to the owner just like any other MLB organization. The Cubs went into luxury tax last year thanks to Jed’s inept forecasting. Is that still the Ricketts fault?

          Reply
        • brood550

          5 months ago

          The Cubs have the money. The luxury tax shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It only cost the Cubs $570,309 last year. Not a large amount compared to the Dodgers at $103,016,896 or the Mets at $97,115,609. and the Mets are worth $2.9 Billion while the Cubs are worth $4.1 Billion.

          Reply
    • Led Hoyer

      5 months ago

      The cubs spend tons of money. They just spread it around to bargain options on short term deals instead of difference makers. It’s a strategy that makes you a .500 team. Hoyer just hopes these mediocre teams he builds exceed projections. This year he brought in a difference maker that will likely walk after this year. I get trying to be a long term sustainable team without paying 100 million in tax penalties but at some point you have to take some risks.

      1
      Reply
      • brood550

        5 months ago

        The Cubs are 14th right now in team spending. Yeah, its a lot of money to us. But considering what they are generating, other teams are spending a higher percentage on talent. Give them 2-3 years payroll will be under 100 million at the rate they’re going.

        Reply
        • mike127

          5 months ago

          brood–they were OVER the luxury tax last season—it’s January 6th—not November all over again. And with that we are only talking about player salaries at the major league level.

          I personally have no idea what it costs to run minor league facilities, other country facilities, etc….guessing what another $30M? 100M? 2 M? Who knows.

          Unfortunately for me—I don’t own the team and this isn’t EA Sports on a TV with a joystick.

          I agree with Led above—at some point there have to be some risks and there are just not enough (if any) contracts to superstars—but if they determine that they don’t want to go over and continually pay taxes to fund other teams, that’s their perogative.

          I’m all for a $365M payroll as a fan—but I get that it is the Ricketts business, not mine.

          Reply
        • brood550

          5 months ago

          Over by 1.8 million. Most of which would be due to the 1.666 million into the pre-arbitration pool. But also 30 million of dead money didn’t help..

          Well buckle up until the Ricketts family sells the team. They are back to being the “lovable losers” for the foreseeable future. Hopefully enough people boycott to bring ticket prices and concessions down during their ownership.

          Reply
        • Cubby 2025

          5 months ago

          @brood550….you did start this by saying the the Cubs are “allergic” to spending money for which a handful of commenters have proven you wrong.

          Now…that they have proven to not be “allergic” to spending, it’s now not enough for your taste.

          You accentuated Mike127’s point with your dead money stance.

          Please, this is the internet and people are actually going to believe you so do you best not to make up facts…

          Reply
        • DroppedThirdStrike

          5 months ago

          Unless you’re the government or the media, then they wont believe you no matter what you say.

          Reply
        • brood550

          5 months ago

          LOL, cutting 48 million this year and all deals they’ve signed this offseason are 2 years guaranteed or less. The Cubs have only 1 deal that is guaranteed beyond 2027. So they can keep cutting salary going forward. I see no reason to believe they’ll change pace signing guys that are >5 since being a top prospect and fizzling and dudes that are >30 and returning from injuries.

          They were at the luxury tax for 1 year. Whoo!!! Going forward they have shown no signs that they are willing to spend.

          Reply
        • brood550

          5 months ago

          was wrong 1 guaranteed contract beyond 2026. And yes, They were over the luxury tax threshold in 2024, you are correct. But all deals on the books other than Swanson’s are guaranteed 2 years or less. Only Imanaga has player options. All others are mutual. I wouldn’t be surprised if Imanaga tests FA after this season. Someone will give him 20+ a year at least. Thus leaving the Cubs with Boyd and Kelly as the only others with options for 2027 and 15 million back in their pockets for 2026.

          Reply
  12. Drasco0366

    5 months ago

    My guess is 3/75 with an opt out after the first season.

    Reply
  13. BrianCashmansBurner

    5 months ago

    The White Sox need pitching.

    *ducks*

    1
    Reply
    • Bryzzo2016

      5 months ago

      White Sox need literally EVERYTHING. Most embarrassing “pro” franchise in all of sport.

      Reply
  14. pingston

    5 months ago

    Perhaps it’s time to evaluate and rank the agents and agencies? Ya know, the folks who leak most of the rumours and drive much of the speculation and inflation.

    Who operates more in the shadows? What agents should a rookie trust and why? Which agents are the biggest leakers, who are best lapdogs for agents (or maybe that’s in a separate evaluation ranking of media, the third leg of the stool)?

    Reply
    • Devlsh

      5 months ago

      ping – It would be fun to see a story by a sportswriter who conducted a poll of his fellow brethren to see what they had to say (anonymously of course). For example, of the rumors that get floated, what percentage are from the club vs. an agent? And do these rumors have any effect, i.e. do teams actually believe the rumor that another team is interested and raise their offer?

      Reply
  15. luvbeisbol

    5 months ago

    A’s! On the IL by May 1

    Reply
  16. Reynaldo's

    5 months ago

    Will he throw a tantrum if he doesn’t sign with the Dodgers?

    5
    Reply
  17. Old York

    5 months ago

    I had him going to the Red Sox in the contest.

    1
    Reply
    • Old York

      5 months ago

      @chemfinancing

      How about the Green Sox?

      Reply
  18. The Big Yo

    5 months ago

    A’s

    Reply
  19. Dogs

    5 months ago

    I choose him to land with the Angels. Between $100,000,000 & $125,000,000.

    4
    Reply
  20. Susannah

    5 months ago

    St Louis Cardinals. 😉

    Reply
    • Champs64

      5 months ago

      Thumbs down.

      Reply
  21. PTkirk

    5 months ago

    Hopefully not the Giants!!

    Reply
  22. Devlsh

    5 months ago

    Every year there are a few players I think to myself, “there’s no way I would sign this guy to a long term contract.” It could be because the player is injury prone, too erratic, coming off a career year or seems like he could be a headcase.

    Flaherty is one of those guys. I think the team that ultimately signs him, especially to anything longer than a three year deal, will regret it quickly.

    2
    Reply
  23. Lefty_Orioles_Fan

    5 months ago

    I can see him getting a One Year Contract with an Option

    No way, he gets a 5 year deal

    Reply
  24. James Midway

    5 months ago

    Ham Fighters

    3
    Reply
  25. reflect

    5 months ago

    $1,000 says Flaherty ends up on a baseball team. Don’t worry, I already played this bet on FanDuel.

    Reply
  26. RotiniRick

    5 months ago

    ..on his fifth team already by 29.

    Reply
  27. Mikenmn

    5 months ago

    So, what season are you basing your contract offer on? 2019 (5.8B WAR) 2018 (3.2) or 2024 (3.1)? You really aren’t basing it on 2020, 21, 22, or 23. Are you getting a 1-WAR pitcher or a 3-WAR one? You can’t think 2019 is a probability

    Reply
  28. Bryzzo2016

    5 months ago

    I anticipate he’ll sign right after Sasaki picks his team.
    Yu

    Reply
  29. For Love of the Game

    5 months ago

    First, scrape up $1.5-$2.0 billion to buy a team. Then you can propose whatever deal you want, but I doubt you would win many games with the players willing to take your deals. You should also learn to economize your thoughts. Just sayin’.

    4
    Reply
  30. scottaz

    5 months ago

    After Burnes signed with the Dbacks, there is a huge drop off to the next level of available starting pitchers.

    Sasaki is a huge unknown as an international transitioning to MLB, but is intriguing because he will be so cheap compared to the other next level pitchers.

    Flaherty wants the next biggest contract but carries significant enough baggage to wonder if he is worth the big multiyear investment. I suspect many clubs will prefer a short term investment in Montgomery over the huge commitment to Flaherty.

    2
    Reply
  31. DroppedThirdStrike

    5 months ago

    And that’s why you file other people’s tax returns, or stock shelves, or sell insurance instead of run MLB.

    And I think we’re all grateful for that.

    2
    Reply
  32. all in the suit that you wear

    5 months ago

    It’s really hard to guess where Flaherty and Pivetta will wind up.

    Reply
  33. ActionDan

    5 months ago

    Before the Tigers traded him to the Dodgers he was interested in signing an extension and wouldn’t take much more than the $15 million a year he signed for. After finishing strong and winning the World Series I would assume his asking price went up. Probably why he’s still unsigned. I’d love to see him back in Detroit though.

    2
    Reply
  34. baked mcbride

    5 months ago

    In a van, DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!!

    Reply
  35. rond-2

    5 months ago

    Pirates

    Reply
  36. chrish-8

    5 months ago

    Angels on a 4-year deal with an opt out in years 1 and 3

    1
    Reply
  37. Rsox

    5 months ago

    Flaherty did not pitch well in Baltimore in ’23 and while he could fair better a second time around, if he doesn’t you are stuck with a big money deal you won’t be able to give away.

    I’d like to see him go to the Giants as i think he would pitch well there

    Reply
  38. Carpenter29

    5 months ago

    Whichever team, he’ll be on the DL making too much money…..

    1
    Reply
  39. Omarj

    5 months ago

    Angels need pitching and the upside is there. Go for it!

    Reply
  40. yogineely

    5 months ago

    My friend just saw him playing catch in the park and said he was in an orioles cap. But that was last week so something I thought was foreshadowing a signing I no longer think so

    Reply
  41. Chicken In Philly?

    5 months ago

    For those estimating that he will get less than $100 million, MLBTR’s estimates have fallen low for the most part this offseason. I’m wondering why his stock would have dropped, especially being one of the few high quality SP left out there?

    1
    Reply
    • YankeesBleacherCreature

      5 months ago

      It hasn’t. The top-tier pitchers like Snell, Burnes,and Fried have signed. The remaining clubs interest in Flaherty are waiting out the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes.

      1
      Reply
      • Chicken In Philly?

        5 months ago

        I agree, but so many of the posters above seem to think it has.

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment

    Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Braves Select Craig Kimbrel

    Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox

    White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel

    Sign Up For Trade Rumors Front Office Now And Lock In Savings!

    Pablo Lopez To Miss Multiple Months With Teres Major Strain

    MLB To Propose Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System For 2026

    Giants Designate LaMonte Wade Jr., Sign Dominic Smith

    Reds Sign Wade Miley, Place Hunter Greene On Injured List

    Padres Interested In Jarren Duran

    Royals Promote Jac Caglianone

    Mariners Promote Cole Young, Activate Bryce Miller

    2025-26 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings: May Edition

    Evan Phillips To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    AJ Smith-Shawver Diagnosed With Torn UCL

    Reds Trade Alexis Díaz To Dodgers

    Rockies Sign Orlando Arcia

    Ronel Blanco To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Joc Pederson Suffers Right Hand Fracture

    Recent

    Orioles Designate Matt Bowman For Assignment

    Diamondbacks Select Kyle Backhus, Designate Aramis Garcia

    Athletics Acquire Austin Wynns

    Julio Rodriguez Helped Off Field Following Apparent Injury

    Astros Designate Forrest Whitley For Assignment

    Twins Place Zebby Matthews On 15-Day IL, Reinstate Danny Coulombe

    Rays Promote Ian Seymour

    Angels Notes: Soler, Trout, Stephenson

    Mets Sign Julian Merryweather To Minor League Deal

    Brian Snitker Discusses Raisel Iglesias, Closer Role

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version