2 Cardinals trade rumors we hope are true, 1 we hope doesn’t happen

Cardinals trade rumors: Trade Jack Flaherty

The St. Louis Cardinals have already taken advantage of the starting pitcher market by dealing Jordan Montgomery. It’s no secret that starting pitching is probably the most valuable position a team can trade for assets. The New York Mets traded Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers, and got Top 50 prospect Luisangel Acuña in return.

Entering the day of the trade deadline, two starting pitchers getting the most attention are Justin Verlander of the Mets and Eduardo Rodriguez of the Detroit Tigers. If dealt, those two could get quite the return for their respective teams.

When it comes to the most likely players to get dealt at the trade deadline, Jack Flaherty is among them. Much like Montgomery, Flaherty is going to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. After his last start on July 26 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Flaherty acknowledged that it could very well be his final start with the team this season.

There are many teams that are looking to bolster their rotation. While Flaherty does have an injury history and his production fluctuated throughout his career, he could thrive on a new team with his upside.

This season, Flaherty recorded a 4.43 ERA, a 1.550 WHIP, 106 strikeouts, and 54 walks over 109.2 innings (20 starts).

If Verlander and Rodriguez come off the board, Flaherty could be an enticing option for those teams looking to get to the postseason.