by Megan Garcia and Cary Osborne
Eleven years after his crowning achievement as a highschool pitcher, Jack Flaherty is pitching on the identical mound at Dodger Stadium in one of many greatest video games of his eight-year Major League profession.
“I’ve had some conversations over the last couple days with some family and some people close to me, just kind of putting it all into perspective and how kind of surreal and just crazy of an opportunity it is — being from here, growing up here, coming to games here,” Flaherty mentioned.
Again, it’s his team relying on him to give his team a elevate.
Then, in 2013, it was pitching Harvard-Westlake to a CIF-Southern Section Division I championship at Dodger Stadium with a complete-game shutout.
The ask for the Dodgers in Game 2 of the National League Division Series gained’t be an entire sport — however will probably be for size and a shutdown of the Padres offense.
“He has to go out there and give us everything he has,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “I’m not going to put a ceiling or a floor on innings or outs. I’m just going to let him go out there and let him pitch and compete and we’ll see where it takes us.”
Since becoming a member of the Dodgers from Detroit on the commerce deadline, Flaherty has been a gradual arm within the beginning rotation. Flaherty led Dodger pitchers with 55 1/3 innings pitched since Aug. 3 in his first begin for his hometown team.
In 22 of his 28 begins this 12 months, Flaherty pitched into the sixth inning — seven being with the Dodgers.
That dependability turned a giant motive why the Dodgers traded for him. The commerce proved to be an absolute want now with Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone — the Dodgers’ leaders in begins and innings this 12 months — and Clayton Kershaw taking place with season-ending accidents.
“It was massive,” mentioned Brandon Gomes, Dodger govt vice chairman and basic supervisor of the commerce. “I think that’s part of the deadline where we certainly would be in a far different position had we not done that. And it’s a win-win for both teams where we certainly had an acute need, and he’s going to be a huge part of our October run.”
Flaherty was initially named the Game 1 starter within the National League Division Series, however because the Dodgers weighed their choices, Flaherty flipped with Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Now, if the NLDS goes 5 video games, each can be on the desk for a begin or pitch innings within the sport.
The 28-year-old right-hander final appeared within the postseason in 2024 with the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched two innings out of the bullpen in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.
But he began 4 video games for the St. Louis Cardinals on their 2019 and 2020 postseason groups — together with two begins the place he went six innings and allowed one run.
He final pitched towards the Padres on Sept. 25. He went 5 innings, giving up three earned runs on 4 hits, hanging out 5 and strolling 4 batters. He threw 100 pitches, touchdown 59 strikes.
He allowed 10 earned runs over 14 innings over his final three common season begins. The Dodgers recognized one thing off in his supply. Something each he and the team are assured has been cleaned up.
Just in time for a chance to create one other particular postseason reminiscence at Dodger Stadium.
“You want to get it done for your hometown team,” Flaherty mentioned. “Anytime you get a chance to go out and you get a chance to compete in the playoffs and you have a chance to get a ring, you want to get it done.”
