Just because everyone wants to acquire pitcher Jack Flaherty does not make him the best trade bait in July.  Flaherty is the kind of baseball player that teams can be built on. He is more than his record. He has character, resilience, and courage. With the departure of Adam Wainwright, he is the best successor to leadership among Cardinals pitchers. He is worth whatever the Cardinals can offer him to re-sign for 2023.

Why keep Flaherty over other trading prospects like Jordan Montgomery, Jordan Hicks and Dylan Carlson?

1. Unlike Montgomery, Jack Flaherty developed over a three-year stint in the Cardinals’ farm system. Unlike Jordan Hicks, he developed control and savvy over his first two years in the Majors. Unlike Carlson, he has shown his stellar potential in the Majors. Flaherty is a home-grown, proven talent with a very high ceiling.
2. In 2019 Flaherty showed his true potential as a Major League starter. Following the All-Star break, he yielded a 0.91 ERA, the third-lowest in major league history, behind only Bob Gibson and Jake Arrieta.^[23][24] Flaherty was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for August after going 5–1 with a 0.71 ERA,^[25] and he again won the award in September with a 0.82 ERA over 44 innings.^[26] He ended the 2019 regular season with an 11–8 record and a 2.75 ERA over 33 starts, striking out 231 over 1961⁄3 innings.^[27] He became the third-youngest pitcher in baseball history to strike out at least 230 and walk 55 or fewer with a 2.75 ERA or lower.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Flaherty
3. Flaherty is the only starter on the Cardinals’ staff with pure strikeout stuff. Over his career, his strikeouts (696) have always exceeded his innings pitched (622). https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jack-flaherty/17479/stats?position=P
4. Flaherty is truly interested in staying with the team that drafted him.  When asked if he would like to play for one team throughout his career a la mentor Adam Wainwright (ignoring his Minor League trade), RHP & future FA Jack Flaherty said, “That would be awesome.” He pointed to his heroes, Derek Jeter & Kobe Bryant, being one-team stars @JohnDenton555
5. Flaherty is a conscience-driven role model for young athletes.  He is bi-racial, yet identifies as Black. “I have seen the anger and pain that is being expressed daily by my fellow brothers and sisters. First and foremost I want to say that I empathize with you, and I hear your cries for change. I am a mixed person of color, but have been able to reap the benefits of being white due to the color of my skin.” https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/cardinals-flaherty-reflects-on-his-social-justice-outspokenness/article_cda1c547-b164-5471-90bb-deaf4cda2379.html#tncms-source=login

Flaherty has all these qualities in common with the position players that the Cardinals regard as their “core:” Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, Tommy Edman, Brendon Donovan, Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker.  These are untrade-ables, despite the value they may draw on the market. They make the Cardinals future contenders for Division and League Championships. What will make them World Champions will be a stellar pitching staff built around Jack Flaherty.

What do the Cardinals have to offer other teams in July?

1. A great starting pitcher: Jordan Montgomery.
2. A shut down reliever: Jordan Hicks
3. A three-tool center fielder: Dylan Carlson
4. A power hitting Gold Glove outfielder: Tyler O’Neill
5. A power-hitting shortstop: Paul DeJong

With this much talent to market, the Cardinals can afford to spare Jack Flaherty from the trading block to acquire one good starter and two or three good bullpen candidates. Maybe a minor league outfielder with a high ceiling?

Don’t trade Jack!

Jack is a gem.