With improved performance since early May, Flaherty makes O's debut today

TORONTO – Right-hander Jack Flaherty, who will make his O’s debut today, he has faced the Toronto Blue Jays just once before in his career. And it was this year.

On April 1, no fooling, he pitched five no-run, no-hit innings as St. Louis beat Toronto 4-1. He walked seven, but none scored and fanned four in a 95-pitch outing.

While he is 7-6 with a 4.43 ERA for the year, he is 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA over his last 13 starts and 75 1/3 innings. He had a 6.29 ERA in early May before this stretch began.

What got his season turned around at that point?

“Doing the simple things right,” he said yesterday at Rogers Centre. “I don’t think I was doing that early on. Starting with fastball command. Walks added up. Been able to limit those a lot more and things have gotten a lot better.”

Flaherty expressed his excitement several times yesterday about joining a young O’s team that is in first place.

“It’s exciting to be on a good team. To be on a team that’s in it. There is lot of promise in St. Louis, but things didn’t work out. I’m excited, excited to play my role.

“These guys are playing well and with energy. I mean, it’s an exciting ballclub. You know good when you see it and that’s what it’s been.”

Flaherty is at 109 2/3 innings for the year and his career high is 196 1/3 in 2019. But from 2020 through 2022 he was limited by an oblique strain and a right shoulder strain to a three-season total of 154 2/3 innings.

So, what will the next few months be like for him adding on to his current innings load?

“I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know what it’s going to bring but looking forward to throwing deep into October and as far as it goes. My job is to take the ball every fifth day and execute," he said. 

What about working with new catchers?

“It’s always a work in progress,” he said. “But those guys here have done a really good job. I’m hoping it’s seamless, but it is just going to be one of those things of learning each other. Sitting down to have conversations when we have a chance and figuring it out during the course of the game. It will be a pretty quick crash course.”

Right-hander Kyle Gibson welcomes Flaherty alongside him in the rotation beside. Their mutual friend, St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright reached out to Gibson to talk about Flaherty joining the Orioles.

“For one he is a guy that was really liked in St. Louis," said Gibson. "Get a text from Wainwright just about the kind of person he is. We’re excited to have him. When you can bring in a veteran starter that has that kind of track record of getting deep into games and having swing and miss stuff (it's great). Being a guy that has playoff experience and has pitched at the highest level of the game. I think he can bring a lot. He’s still really young."

Gibson believes the O's coaches and pitching program can benefit Flaherty.

“I do know that from my conversations with everyone here back to the offseason and spring training, think this group of coaches and the people on the advance side have a lot to offer.

“A lot of that comes down to what Jack feels he needs. Just like with me, he is going to lead that conversation and go into where he feels he can be most helped. Once he has a good feel of the people in this organization, the buy in will be there and he’ll have a lot of confidence in the group."

And the O's coaches will get to know him better and add their own thoughts on how Flaherty can hone his game further. 

“These coaches have a really good feeling of, ‘Hey, we’re here to supplement things. You let us know how we can help.’ And then they sprinkle in ideas as they see things that stand out," Gibson said.

Flaherty went 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA in July with the Cardinals. He will look to pick up here where he left off there as he debuts today at Rogers Centre, where the O's will look to win another AL East series behind their new pitcher.