3 players the Dodgers should trade for not named Shohei Ohtani

Dodgers Rumors: Jack Flaherty is another hometown product on the move

Jack Flaherty went to high school with Giolito at Harvard-Westlake, and is expected to be traded prior to the deadline. His 4.29 ERA might not be much to bat an eye at in most seasons, but the starting pitching market is expect to be thin. Also, Flaherty has pitched well of late. If his last three starts are any indication of the pitcher LA would be acquiring, he’s worth the assets:

• 7/1 vs Yankees: 6 innings pitched, no runs allowed
• 7/6 vs Marlins: 6 innings pitched, no runs allowed
• 7/16 vs Nationals: 6 innings pitched, three runs allowed

Flaherty lowered his ERA in all three instances, and is clearly trending in the right direction. The only danger for the Dodgers would be overpaying for a player who is sure to test the free-agent market this winter.

FanSided’s Cody Williams outlined an obvious issue with an LA trade, which is that they value the top of their farm system and likely won’t part ways with any top prospects:

"“When you look at what the Dodgers would potentially offer to upgrade the middle/back of the rotation in a trade for Flaherty, it’s hard to be totally enticed. They obviously aren’t going to be parting with top, top prospects like Bobby Miller, Diego Cartaya, Michael Busch or even Gavin Stone. Subsequently, that would likely mean that a player like Ryan Pepiot would end up being the centerpiece of a trade package. And to this point, Pepiot’s work in MLB has not been something that should move the needle for the Cardinals. In fact, it would be a trade based on his projection, not what he’s seen.”"

However, if the Cardinals come down on their asking price for Flaherty in the hours leading up to the trade deadline, he’s worth acquiring as a mid-rotation starter.