Free agency prediction has Dodgers losing trade acquisition to rival Braves

Jack Flaherty's admirable 2024 season has made him one of the best mid-tier starter options on the free agent market.

He hasn't signed yet, but there have been suitors; the Blue Jays, Giants, Cubs, Tigers and Orioles have all been connected to him recently. There's little chance he returns to the Dodgers with how packed their rotation already is, but he shouldn't have much trouble finding a new home for 2025.

Apart from Garrett Crochet, Flaherty was the best trade candidate in baseball at the deadline, having pitched over 100 innings for the Tigers for a sub-3.00 ERA. Although the Dodgers couldn't make a deal for Crochet happened, Flaherty was a nice backup, especially given how injury-riddled the rotation was that summer.

The Orioles seem to be generating the most noise as of late, despite some chatter online about how Flaherty hated his brief time in Baltimore after he was traded from the Cardinals. However, Jim Bowden of The Athletic proposed a dark horse team as a Flaherty taker: the Braves, who just lost Max Fried and Charlie Morton in free agency (subscription required).

Braves named as a new landing spot for Dodgers trade deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty

Flaherty's performance dipped a little after the trade but he remained consistent overall, pitching to a 3.58 ERA over 10 starts in LA. He stumbled in the postseason — 22 innings and 7.36 ERA, including a World Series Game 5 appearance that only lasted 1 1/3 innings after he gave up four runs — but that shouldn't hurt his stock too terribly in free agency.

At this point, we don't know how much money Flaherty is looking for in free agency but it's been reported he's looking for a five-year deal. That might be a little bit of a stretch given the history of bad regular season pitching in his not-so-distant past, but a club that loves team-friendly contracts like the Braves could try to attach a few team or mutual options to a deal that would give them some reassurance if Flaherty declines again.

For now, where he actually ends up seems like a crapshoot, but if his free agency really ends up dragging out, it shouldn't be because he lacks takers.