Unforgettable experience: Jack Flaherty always belonged in Los Angeles, rather than St. Louis

The Los Angeles Dodgers were aggressive at the trade deadline, just as we all expected, acquiring arguably the best rental on the market. Detroit Tigers ace Jack Flaherty was rerouted to Hollywood, bolstering a Dodgers pitching staff that has been ravaged by injuries all season.

Even with Clayton Kershaw back in the mix, Los Angeles has struggled to field a healthy five-man rotation for weeks. Flaherty certainly helps. The 28-year-old is experiencing arguably his best season to date, posting a 9-5 record through 20 starts with a 2.97 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. His 150 strikeouts through 118.1 innings is one of the best ratios in the league.

It has been particularly special for Flaherty to pitch in Los Angeles. He's a Cali kid, born and raised. He wore Dodger uniforms as a toddler. This is a man who has, consciously or not, been building toward this opportunity his entire career.

How often do MLB stars get a chance to contend for a title with their childhood team? Flaherty isn't just pitching for the Dodgers. He's pitching for the National League's most talented team. Maybe the outright best team.

Once the playoffs arrive, there's a good chance Los Angeles can field a dominant starting rotation despite the spate of injuries. That is especially true of Flaherty can stay true to his current form. After struggling post-deadline last season, when traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Baltimore Orioles, Flaherty is looking to avoid a repeat of history.

Ideally, the sunny L.A. locale and his noticeable personal growth on the mound can stave off such an outcome.

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Jack Flaherty loves it in LA, and that shouldn't upset Cardinals fans

Flaherty has been effusive in his adoration for the Dodgers and his new fandom. Expectedly so. This was the move Flaherty probably prayed for at the trade deadline, whether he'll admit it or not. Speaking with Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, the hard-throwing righty called playing in Dodger Stadium as a kid "an unforgettable experience."

Now he gets to play there on a regular basis.

It's only natural for the St. Louis fandom to get a bit jealous. There was a lot of semi-justified outrage when Flaherty waxed poetic about the Orioles fanbase and the Camden Yards experience after the 2023 trade deadline.

"I haven't had to turn my PitchCom up at home in a while."

That reads as a blatant shot at St. Louis. Nobody would ever call the Cardinals fanbase disengaged, but last season was a disappointment front to back. The O's were good for the first time in ages. The Cards were a mess. Of course, there was a bit more fan engagement in Baltimore down the stretch.

Flaherty surely didn't mean to jab barbs at the St. Louis crowd, nor does he intend to now. That breakup didn't go over too smoothly, but Flaherty has expressed no ill will toward the Cardinals organization. Of course, he is going to be more outwardly excited in Los Angeles — this is a full circle, 'I'm home' sort of moment for him — but that does not reflect poorly on St. Louis. It simply speaks to his appreciation for L.A., for where he grew up as a person and as a ballplayer.

The results have been mixed through a couple Dodgers starts for Flaherty, but he has been at the top of his game for the majority of this season. Los Angeles is counting on a monster finish to the campaign. Flaherty is on track to deliver.