MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz amid 2024 World Series Final Bracket
In hindsight, Jack Flaherty was the most important trade deadline acquisition of the 2024 MLB season. The Los Angeles Dodgers, in need of pitching help, completed a deal with the Detroit Tigers for the righty, and the rest, they say, is history.
That history may have looked different had LA's World Series opponents, the New York Yankees, struck earlier for Flaherty.
The Bronx Bombers nearly brought the starter to New York in a deal that may have altered the fate of both league champions.
That topic headlines a collection of insider reports that also includes another veteran starter who could be dealt this offseason and a playoff team's trade market plans this winter.
Yankees "Could Not Stomach" Flaherty Trade
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Jack Flaherty allowed five hits, two earned runs, and struck out six through five-and-a-third innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win Game 1 of the World Series.
The same Yankees who could have had the veteran righty in their rotation this season had they been able to complete a deal with the Detroit Tigers ahead of the trade deadline.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the Yankees nearly completed a trade for Flaherty but "couldn't stomach" it amid a "perceived lower back situation."
The injury concerns, the lack of actual need for Flaherty as the team was not rotation-poor by any stretch of the imagination, and the Tigers' desire for Will Warren to be part of the package in return turned the Bronx Bombers off of the deal.
As Heyman noted, the biggest negative surrounding the unexecuted trade was that the Dodgers actually did acquire Flaherty at the deadline and rode his strong play at the mound to the World Series, where he helped them take a 1-0 lead over the Yankees.
Now, the ALCS winners face a 2-0 deficit following Saturday's Game 2 loss. In that loss, Carlos Rodon allowed four earned runs in just 3.1 innings pitched, leaving some to wonder what might have been had the Yankees been able to complete an agreement with Detroit for Flaherty.
Cardinals to Trade Lance Lynn This Winter?
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Following a 2023 that saw him split time with the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, all while enduring one of the worst years of his career, Lance Lynn had a bounce-back season of sorts for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023-24.
The righty played in 23 games for the NL Central squad, with a win-loss record of 7-4, and finished the season with an ERA of 3.84 (down from 5.73) and a WHIP of 1.338 (down from 1.394).
That may not be enough to keep him in St. Louis, though, as the team looks to cut payroll amid an organizational rebuild this offseason, Mark Palishuk of MLB Trade Rumors reported.
"It isn't a guarantee that Lynn's $12MM club option ($1MM buyout) will be exercised, though St. Louis is probably more likely to pick up the option and then shop Lynn on the trade market this winter."
There will be a market for experienced right-handed pitchers and Lynn is no exception. Teams in need of starting pitching to bolster their rotation will jump at the opportunity to acquire Lynn, especially if the Cardinals have him set at a reasonable asking price.
Lynn still has some command issues, as evidenced by his 3.4 walks per nine innings, but he also averaged 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings, meaning he can sit batters down, too.
He is a quality starter who should have the attention of teams on the verge of making a legitimate playoff push and needing one last arm to get them over the hump.
Active Guardians in Trade Market
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The Cleveland Guardians saw their dreams of a return to the World Series dashed by the New York Yankees and will have a busy offseason as they attempt to keep some semblance of the team together despite impending free agents Shane Bieber, Alex Cobb, Austin Hedges, Carlos Carrasco, and others.
However, the team will "of course" be active in the trade market, as MLB Insider Robert Murray of Fansided reported.
"Look for the Guardians to cast a wide net and search for cheap, long-term upgrades all throughout the roster."
That is typical of the Guardians' front office. The team has never been a big spender, instead opting for experienced players who are inexpensive and will improve key spots on the roster and in the lineup.
This game plan worked to near perfection in 2024, as the Guardians won the AL Central by 6.5 games over the Royals and Tigers and were one step away from playing in the Fall Classic.
How it plays out this offseason, and if the front office can replace any of the players that leave through free agency, will ultimately determine whether the Guardians make it back to the final four, with a chance to compete for the World Series, or if they take a step back amid young, surging Royals and Tigers squads.
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