Yankees GM responds to report about failed Jack Flaherty trade

Mar 14, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with media during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman on Wednesday tried to push back against claims that the team had nixed a trade for pitcher Jack Flaherty over medical concerns.

Cashman said Wednesday that the failure to get a Flaherty deal done with the Detroit Tigers was simply a matter of not being able to find a deal that suited both teams. He denied that concerns about Flaherty’s back had anything to do with the lack of a trade.

“I think Jack Flaherty is an exceptional starter,” Cashman said, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com . “I had difficulty matching up with the Tigers on Jack Flaherty. I certainly would have loved to have him as a choice for us, as well as anybody else that would potentially be an upgrade on our rotation.

“Unfortunately, you get a lot of different reports going out there. At the end of the day, I would have brought Jack Flaherty in if I could have matched up. I had difficulty matching up, and that was the reason I don’t have him. Simple as that.”

Reports emerged Tuesday suggesting that the Yankees and Tigers had a deal in place involving Flaherty, but the Yankees backed out over concerns about the pitcher’s medical reports. The Tigers ultimately traded Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a pair of prospects.

There does appear to be an element of damage control to Cashman’s comments. It is a bad look for everyone involved when a trade falls apart for medical reasons. Plus, if Flaherty remains healthy and pitches well with the Dodgers, Cashman probably won’t want to deal with questions regarding why the Yankees had doubts when the Dodgers did not.

Flaherty has had some back issues flare up on him this season. However, he has been healthy enough to make 18 starts, and has an ERA of 2.95 and a WHIP of 0.96 across 106.2 innings pitched.

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