Pirates Reportedly Looking To Land Ex-Cardinals Pitcher After Inconsistent Season

One former member of the St. Louis Cardinals is looking for a new home this offseason.

Former Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty is a free agent after a disappointing 2023 season that saw him spend time both St. Louis and the Baltimore Orioles. Flaherty began the year with the Cardinals but was traded ahead of the trade deadline as the Cardinals' season sputtered out of control.

Flaherty made nine appearances with Baltimore -- including seven starts -- and compiled a 6.75 ERA. He is now a free agent and is looking for a new home. One team that reportedly is interested in bringing him in this offseason is the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Belleville News-Democrat's Jeff Jones. 

"Another nugget from the morning -- the Pirates are monitoring the market around Jack Flaherty and are interested in bringing him in on a short-term deal should he be unable to find a longer commitment," Jones said.

Flaherty at one point seemed poised to become one of the best young pitchers in baseball but injuries and inconsistent play have derailed his career. Although this is the case, he is just 28 years old and has plenty of upside. Flaherty's best season came in 2019 when he was just 23 years old. He compiled a 2.75 ERA across 33 starts. Since then he has dealt with many injuries and hasn't been able to get back to that level of play. 

He certainly has plenty of upside but will need to find a way to stay healthy to get back to that level of play.