Ex-Cardinals Hurler Jack Flaherty Dominated In Orioles Debut

The right-hander made a strong impression in Baltimore

Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty dazzled in his debut for the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.

Flaherty's impending free agency and the team's cold start to the 2023 season forced the Cardinals to deal him away at this year's trade deadline. It appears, however, that Flaherty's new team has sparked up a flame in the 27-year-old's throwing arm as he baffled the Toronto Blue Jays for six innings, allowing one run on four hits with two walks, eight strikeouts and notched his first win for the O's. 

The right-hander threw gas against the Blue Jays, averaging between 95-97 mph -- an uptick from what he was doing with the Cardinals, likely due to the adrenaline of playing with a new team.

Former Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong, who was also moved at the deadline, got to face Flaherty twice at the plate. DeJong went 0-2 with a strikeout and a line out to center field. Flaherty struck out DeJong swinging on a nasty knuckle curveball low and outside.

Flaherty spent 6 1/2 seasons in St. Louis after being drafted by the team back in 2014 and making his Major League debut in 2017. The former rising star gained league notoriety when he contended for the Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards back in 2019 after recording a 2.75 ERA along with a 231-to-55 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 196 1/3 innings pitched.

With Flaherty off to such a hot start for the playoff-contending Orioles, will we see the right-hander return to his old dominating ways of the past?

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