Los Angeles Dodgers free agents Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty have yet to benefit from a strong market for free agent starting pitchers, but there hasn't been any shortage of interest in both right-handers.
Buehler and Flaherty are both expected to receive a multi-year contract, with the latter potentially signing a long-term deal that could reach six seasons.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Flaherty could wind up signing with the Baltimore Orioles or Boston Red Sox:
According to sources, free-agent righty Jack Flaherty is one fallback option for the Orioles if, as expected, they fail to re-sign Corbin Burnes. The Red Sox also can not be ruled out for Flaherty. They liked him last offseason, only to see him sign with the Detroit Tigers, a league source said.
Flaherty finished the 2023 season with the Orioles, struggling before getting moved to the bullpen.
The biggest question mark in the Orioles' rotation at present time is with Corbin Burnes' free agency. The San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays were recently mentioned as teams that could make an aggressive run to sign Burnes.
Baltimore is said to have interest in re-signing the right-hander, but it's unclear if they're willing to make the likely financial commitment.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox don't face quite as glaring of a need in the wake of trading for Garrett Crochet.
The New York Mets and Detroit Tigers were recently connected to Flaherty as well. The Tigers signed Flaherty to a one-year contract last offseason that panned out well before he was ultimately traded to the Dodgers at the deadline.
Across 28 combined starts for the Orioles and Dodgers, Flaherty went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA, 3.47 FIP and 1.07 WHIP.
Jack Flaherty's Erewhon smoothie
As the Dodgers were in the midst of their run toward winning the World Series, Flaherty joined a select group of celebrities and athletes with a custom smoothie flavor at Erewhon.
He used the opportunity to generate funds for the Tyler Skaggs Foundation.