Yankees reneged on Jack Flaherty trade over medicals

Jack Flaherty nearly ended up in pinstripes.

The starter, who was dealt to the Dodgers in a deadline deal with the Tigers, was nearly sent to the Big Apple, but the Yankees backed out of a “preliminary trade agreement” after concerns arose about Flaherty’s medical records, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported late Tuesday night.

The Yankees had been linked to Flaherty in trade rumors leading up to the deadline and seemed to be on a path to acquire the right-hander until he was ultimately sent to Los Angeles in exchange for prospects Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney, the latter of which, ironically enough, was a Yankees draft pick that was traded this offseason the Dodgers for reliever Victor Gonzalez.

The hesitation on the part of the Yankees appeared to stem from a lower-back issue that kept Flaherty from making a scheduled start in early July.

It also led him to receive two injections over a three-week span.

While the righty hasn’t suffered on the mound — posting a 1.53 ERA with 18 strikeouts in three starts since the issue arose — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman didn’t go through with any deal.

It’s unknown what the Yankees would have sent the other way as part of a trade for Flaherty.

Only the Yankees and Dodgers looked over his medical records, Rosenthal reported.

“I can’t comment on medical stuff with trades,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said, according to The Athletic. “You would have to ask the other teams. Jack is healthy. If we didn’t trade him, he was going to start for us on Thursday.”

Related Topics:FlahertyJackmedicalsrenegedtradeYankees

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