5 trade deadline deals that could push Blue Jays back into contention for 2024

Jays need to solidify rotation with Jack Flaherty

It has certainly been a renaissance season for eight-year veteran pitcher Jack Flaherty. After enduring in constant struggles with his control and command for pretty much three of his past four seasons, the former first-round draft pick appeared to have rediscovered his previous dominant form witnessed during his early years with the St. Louis Cardinals.

With the Detroit Tigers so far this year, Flaherty has compiled a 5-5 record with a stellar 3.24 ERA, 128 ERA+ and 1.00 WHIP over 15 starts. More impressively, he has displayed tremendous command by registering just a measly 14 walks and a whopping 115 strikeouts in 89 total innings pitched. Those statistical numbers would literally put him first in almost every pitching category among the Jays’ starting rotation pitchers in 2024. On top of everything, his confidence and trust in the selection of his pitches seemed to be all back with the 28-year-old.

Keep in mind that the Jays’ team ace Kevin Gausman is still doing a little “Jekyll and Hyde” in his performances this season. In addition to the uncertainty of Yariel Rodríguez’s durability and health over a season’s load, it should be a no-brainer that they will need a significant boost to their starting five to have any chance to still make the postseason. In that respect, Flaherty would fit the bill perfectly, with the potential iof firmly solidifying their front-end of the rotation going forward.