Last night featured a pitching matchup for the ages— Jack Flaherty vs. Trevor Bauer. Early on, the game was every bit as good as advertised.
Flaherty had his dominant stuff last night, and was pitching in front of friends and family at Dodger Stadium in a sort of homecoming.
Through five innings, the Southern California native was sharp, allowing just two runs on two hits, while striking out nine batters and only walking one.
But something went wrong in the bottom of the fifth. Jack Flaherty noticed a tweak in his side. And though he pitched through it and even came to the plate in the top of the sixth, it got worse when he swung the bat.
And so, in the bottom of the sixth, with the Cardinals leading 3-2, Flaherty was done, replaced by Ryan Helsley, who would end up taking the loss as the Cards fell out of first-place in the NL Central.
“I still feel good,” said Flaherty. “I feel like I’m in a good spot. Just kind of gauge things as we go from here.”
The official word on Flaherty’s exit was left side tightness.
“I don’t leave games, I don’t come out of games,” Flaherty added. “It was just something that I just wanted to check on.”
If Flaherty hits the injured list, St. Louis’ rotation is in trouble. Already missing Miles Mikolas and Dakota Hudson, the rotation is in a weakened state, and the Cardinals would be wise to look at the Starting Pitching market when the July 31 trade deadline approaches. The team will also need starters like Adam Wainwright, John Gant, and Carlos Martinez to step up and pick up some of the slack.
Flaherty will undergo further testing today. From there, the team will determine the best course of action for their star right-hander.
For more MLB coverage, click here.
