MLB Rumors: 4 Jack Flaherty trade destinations, 1 for Cardinals to avoid

3. Arizona Diamondbacks can make big push with a Jack Flaherty trade

As unlikely as it might’ve sounded if you’d said it coming into the season, the Arizona Diamondbacks might actually be one of the best teams in baseball. They entered June 13 with the best record in the National League at 41-25 and with a four-game lead over the all-world Dodgers in the NL West.

The top of the D’Backs rotation is clearly one of the biggest strengths of this club as Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are as good of a 1-2 punch as any in baseball. When you go beyond that, though, things get a little less certain for the Snakes.

Ryne Nelson and Tommy Henry both have ERAs north of 4.80 this season and have been far less certain than you would like from the middle of the rotation. Moreover, the bullpen has been a bit hit-or-miss at times, which can turn up the heat on the need to add another starter.

Arizona is another organization that has a loaded farm system that should ultimately be intriguing to the Cardinals. While someone like Corbin Carroll (obviously) is not on the table, they have a bevy of young, potentially MLB-ready pitching talent that could help St. Louis replenish that part of the system for the future.

Landing Flaherty would affirm the Diamondbacks as a legitimate contender this year and, adding him to Gallen and Kelly, would establish their top three in the rotation as one of the absolute best in MLB.