The San Francisco Giants have long been expected to add to their pitching staff this offseason, and while moves have been made, they’re still connected to some of the top names still remaining.
Having added arguably the best pitcher of the generation in Justin Verlander on a one-year deal, the starting rotation is in a better place today than it was after the departure of Blake Snell to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a move that stung Giants fans obviously for a number of reasons.
San Francisco has been connected heavily in recent weeks to possibly get one back on the Dodgers and land right-handed starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, who Los Angeles acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline before finishing off another World Series run.
The Dodgers signed arguably the two top starters on the market in Snell and Roki Sasaki before landing the best reliever in Tanner Scott and another late-inning reliever in Kirby Yates.
Now, fans across baseball have heavily criticized the defending champs and argued whether what they’re doing is bad for the game or just straight up unfair.
In an interesting rebuttal, Flaherty took to social media and made a not so subtle hint to complaining fans.
“A certain team is not ruining baseball, A lot of other teams are just doing very little,” Flaherty posted.
A certain team is not ruining baseball
A lot of other teams are just doing very little
— Jack Flaherty (@jflare_) January 21, 2025
Flaherty’s message comes as particularly interesting given he is the top available starting pitcher and is still fielding offers, leading fans to wonder whether or not a reunion between him and Los Angeles could be in the cards.
It seems unlikely given the acquisitions of Snell and Sasaki, the likely return of Shohei Ohtani to the mound, not to mention the presence of numerous other quality options including 2024 All-Star Tyler Glasnow.
The Dodgers certainly don’t need Flaherty, but they seem to be going full “Evil Empire” mode, something Flaherty clearly doesn’t see an issue with given his very public stance.
There’s an ever-growing gap which exists between the Giants and Los Angeles, one which signing Flaherty would at least begin to narrow for San Francisco. In all likelihood, it will not be the difference in the Giants competing with the Dodgers in 2025. But if San Francisco continues to build the right way, Flaherty could make a major impact in playoff pushes down the line.
Catching Los Angeles was never going to be a one-year process, especially the way they have relentlessly spent this offseason. But signing Flaherty could at least be a step in the right direction.
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