There is a reason why the Los Angeles Dodgers do not sign certain pitchers. Although he was a member of the Dodgers' World Series championship team last year, the struggles of pitchers who left the team as free agents are notable. After Walker Buehler (31–Boston Red Sox), Jack Flaherty (30–Detroit Tigers) also struggled, giving up 8 runs.

Flaherty made a start in the away game against the Tampa Bay Rays on the 21st (Korean time) at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, where he collapsed after pitching 2⅓ innings, allowing 6 hits (1 home run), 3 walks, 1 hit batter, striking out 3, and giving up 8 runs. With the team losing 8-14, Flaherty suffered his 8th loss of the season (5 wins).

Flaherty gave up a lead-off home run to Yandy Díaz right from the start of the first inning, then created a situation with 2 outs and the bases loaded, allowing Matt Thaiss a clearing 3-RBI double. He went through the second inning without allowing runs but couldn’t survive the third. After allowing a hit to Curtis Mead with 1 out, a wild pitch occurred, and with consecutive walks that loaded the bases, Taylor Walls hit another clearing 3-RBI double, resulting in another big inning.

Flaherty, who collapsed in his previous start against the Cincinnati Reds on the 15th, pitching 4⅔ innings, allowing 5 hits (3 home runs), 5 walks, striking out 5, and giving up 7 runs, was also hit hard this day, posting the fewest innings pitched and the most runs allowed of the season. His season ERA soared from 3.41 to 4.03 and then to 4.83.

Last year, Flaherty excelled with 13 wins and 7 losses, an ERA of 3.17, and 194 strikeouts over 28 games (162 innings) with the Detroit Tigers and the Dodgers. He revived to his best performance since ranking 4th in the National League (NL) Cy Young Award in 2019 while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Flaherty also fulfilled his dream of playing for his hometown team by moving to the Dodgers ahead of the trade deadline at the end of July. A native of Burbank, California, Flaherty grew up cheering for the Dodgers and expressed his desire to remain a free agent, stating during the World Series victory parade last year, "I love this city. I never want to leave."

However, the Dodgers were lukewarm about re-signing Flaherty. After joining the Dodgers, he had a solid performance with 6 wins and 2 losses, an ERA of 3.58 over 10 games (55⅓ innings), but struggled in the postseason with a record of 1 win and 2 losses and an ERA of 7.36 over 5 games (22 innings). Eventually, he returned to Detroit, signing a 2-year, $35 million free agent contract.

In March and April, he had a record of 6 games (32⅓ innings), with 1 win and 3 losses, yet an ERA of 3.34 showed good pitching. However, in May, he recorded 2 wins and 3 losses over 5 games (27 innings) with an ERA of 4.67, and in June, he continued to struggle with 2 wins and 2 losses over 4 games (19 innings) and an ERA of 7.58. Overall for the season, he has 5 wins and 8 losses, an ERA of 5.83, and 93 strikeouts over 15 games (78⅓ innings). Currently, he is with Detroit, which has the highest win percentage in both leagues (48 wins and 29 losses, .623) but is tied for the most losses in the American League (AL).

His average fastball velocity has decreased from 93.3 mph (150.2 km/h) last year to 92.7 mph (149.2 km/h) this year, and his walks per 9 innings have surged from 2.1 last year to 3.6 this year. He has also allowed 15 home runs, with a noticeable increase in opponents' batting average against him (.388 to .425).

A.J. Hinch, the Detroit manager, noted after the game on the 21st, "Flaherty has struggled in his last two games. He must be very frustrated, but he will analyze the issues and make adjustments through bullpen sessions." He pointed out, "There were many pitches that were hit hard today, but the batters fouled them off. He needs to execute pitches suited to the ball count."

Flaherty is not the only World Series champion struggling after leaving the Dodgers. Walker Buehler, who dressed the victory moment in the World Series with a save but did not receive an offer from the Dodgers, also continues to struggle after signing a 1-year, $21.05 million free agent contract with Boston. On the 18th against the Seattle Mariners, he collapsed after pitching 3⅓ innings, allowing 8 hits (1 home run), 4 walks, and striking out 2, giving up 8 runs. He has not been able to find a breakthrough with a record of 5 wins and 5 losses and an ERA of 5.95 over 12 games (59 innings).

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