SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — During a frustrating season that has now included more rehab starts for minor league affiliates than games pitched for his Cardinals, Jack Flaherty has kept up with his team through the help of highlights while doing his best to field whatever questions minor leaguers throw his way.
“I’m open and willing to answer, but I don’t have all the answers,” Flaherty said here at Hammons Field this weekend. "I really don’t. Nobody ever does in this game. But you can give what you’ve got. If they ask a question, I give them my best answer. It may not be the perfect one. It may not be the right one for them. But it’s the one I can give.”
As for the question of what answer Flaherty can become for the Cardinals at the most important time of the year, it's about time to find out.
“Dynamic,” was the first word that came to the mind of Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak on Sunday.
Wearing the S-Cards’ version of powder blue with an unfamiliar No. 31 on his back, Flaherty made a statement in Sunday’s Class-AA start in Springfield, his third and longest since his major league return was tabled after just three June starts.
After 1-2-3 innings in the first and second, Flaherty found some turbulence against the Arkansas Travelers, the Class-AA affiliate of the Mariners, in Springfield’s 6-5 win.
A two-out double surrendered to Travelers leadoff man Riley Unroe scored one run in the third and would have deposited Unroe on third base instead of second, if Flaherty had not backed up his catcher, Julio Rodriguez, and fielded a wild throw to home. Flaherty ended the inning by inducing a fly out to left field.
Things looked to be getting hairier in the fourth inning as the Travelers sandwiched two singles around Flaherty’s first walk. The bases were loaded. No outs. And Flaherty was approaching his pitch limit.
Mozeliak, observing alongside former Cardinals All-Star and special adviser Ryan Ludwick from 13 rows up behind home plate, watched along with the crowd to see how the right-hander would react.
Flaherty called his catcher out to the mound to clear up some confusion about the signs. He then struck out the next three hitters. All went down swinging . He stranded three in 13 pitches.
“I felt like I executed pretty well in the first three (innings) and did not do a very good job in the fourth, to start,” Flaherty said after signing autographs for fans. “Kind of got into a jam there and just had to make pitches. The more you execute, the more good things happen. It felt good. You get into a spot there, bases loaded, nobody out, you go do your best (stuff). You want to throw your best stuff the whole time, but when you get into those situations, you really have to execute.”
Flaherty’s curveball was sharp. His fastball averaged about 93 mph, a good sign. He hit 95 and 96 mph a handful of times, including during one of his three fourth-inning Ks. Flaherty’s four innings included one walk, four hits and seven strikeouts. Forty-one of his 66 pitchers were strikes, including nine of his last 13 during the strikeout blitz.
“Strong finish, right?” Mozeliak said. “In that particular situation, with bases loaded and no outs, I think you just saw a different gear. I think you saw a different pitcher when things got a little tighter out there.”
Mozeliak said Flaherty, as long as he responds well physically after this start, will make one more rehab start, this time with Class-AAA Memphis later this week. That one, likely on Friday, would feature an elevated pitch count of 90-plus.
“Based on how he looked you have to feel pretty positive about this,” Mozeliak added.
Flaherty said he felt like he could have pitched past Sunday’s pitch count. He is deferring to the team’s plan there. Same for his timeline.
“Not my decision,” he said. “Never has been. Still not my decision.”
Even after two strong additions to the rotation at the trade deadline in Jordan Montgomery and Jose Quintana, there still is room for the Cardinals to improve their starting five. Dakota Hudson’s rocky first full season back from Tommy John surgery could be in line for an upgrade. Mozeliak understands the dots that are being connected. No one else would knock Hudson out of the rotation. Flaherty could. Here Sunday he looked like he will. Soon.
“At the big leagues, you need five guys to get you outs,” Mozeliak said. “Dakota kept us in the game (Saturday) night (in Arizona), which was super encouraging and it ended up being a positive outcome for us. But you know, ultimately, if you allow yourself to dream a little bit; it is free, right? You sort of think back to 2019. What would we look like if we can get that (from Flaherty)? That does change, really, the dynamic of our club overall. Right now, there is some optimism based on what we all saw today, which was great. I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that hopefully we have to make those kinds of decisions.”
Flaherty missed spring training with bursitis. He has clashed with the front office at least twice this season, first about how his shoulder trouble was classified at camp, and second about the second guesses that stirred after this season’s first rehab schedule was expedited at Flaherty’s request to get him back to the majors sooner than initially planned. The Cardinals lost two of Flaherty’s three starts in June. He had a 5.63 ERA and more hits allowed (eight) than strikeouts (six) in just eight innings of work. His season isn’t over yet, though, and hopes are rising once more.
“I’m not coming back as an X-factor,” Flaherty said. “I’m just coming back to help this team however we can. Guys are playing well. My job when I get back is to continue that on. Guys are stringing good starts together in a row. It’s my job to plug in and continue to do what they’re doing, and to build off what they have done. Don’t do anything more. Just keep us right there. Keep us playing well.”
Flaherty admits he doesn’t have all the answers. He has learned an important one, though.
A season full of frustration can fade away fast if the conclusion is special.
“Everything goes away at the end of the day — if you win,” he said.
