Jack Flaherty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack Flaherty |
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Flaherty with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022
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| Detroit Tigers – No. 9 | ||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | ||||||||||||||
| Born: October 15, 1995 Burbank, California, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| September 1, 2017, for the St. Louis Cardinals | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through July 27, 2025) |
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| Win–loss record | 61–51 | |||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.74 | |||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 1,079 | |||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Jack Flaherty is an American professional baseball pitcher who plays for the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cardinals chose Jack in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft. He made his big league debut with them in 2017.
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Jack's Early Baseball Days
Jack Flaherty went to Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, California. He was a pitcher and also played shortstop and third base on the baseball team. Two of his high school teammates, Max Fried and Lucas Giolito, also became professional pitchers.
High School Success
In 2013, when Jack was a junior, he had an amazing pitching record of 13 wins and 0 losses. His ERA was very low at 0.63, and he struck out 112 batters. During his senior year, his high school team was considered one of the best in the country.
Jack also played for the U.S. national team in the 2013 18U Baseball World Cup. He helped his team win the Gold Medal in the tournament.
Awards and Achievements
By April 2014, Jack had a two-year pitching record of 20 wins and 0 losses. He finished his 2014 high school season with a 10–0 record and a 0.63 ERA. He was named the Southern Section Division I Player of the Year. He also won the Gatorade Player of the Year award for baseball in California. In his four years in high school, his overall pitching record was 35 wins and 3 losses.
Jack's Professional Baseball Career
Even though Jack planned to go to college, the St. Louis Cardinals drafted him in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft. He decided to start his professional career.
Time in the Minor Leagues
Jack began his minor league journey with the Gulf Coast League Cardinals. He then played for other minor league teams like the Peoria Chiefs, Palm Beach Cardinals, Springfield Cardinals, and Memphis Redbirds. He showed great promise, striking out many batters.
Making it to the Major Leagues
First Years with the Cardinals (2017-2018)
Jack made his MLB debut with the St. Louis Cardinals on September 1, 2017. He pitched four innings in his first game. After the season, the Cardinals named him their Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
In 2018, Jack earned his first MLB win on May 20. He pitched a great game, striking out 13 batters. He finished his rookie year with 8 wins and 9 losses, and a 3.34 ERA. He also struck out 182 batters.
Breakout Season (2019)
The 2019 season was a huge year for Jack. After the All-Star break, he had an amazing 0.91 ERA, which was one of the best in baseball history for a second half. He was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for both August and September.
Jack finished 2019 with 11 wins and 8 losses, and a 2.75 ERA. He struck out 231 batters. He was also nominated for a Gold Glove and was named to the All-MLB Second Team. He played in the playoffs for the first time, pitching well in the Division Series.
Recent Seasons with the Cardinals (2020-2023)
In the 2020 season, which was shorter due to the pandemic, Jack made his first Opening Day start. He pitched in nine games.
In 2021, Jack made his second Opening Day start. He also hit his first career home run! He dealt with some injuries that year, but still had a good record of 9 wins and 2 losses.
In 2022 and 2023, Jack continued to pitch for the Cardinals. He faced more injury challenges in 2022. In 2023, he made 20 starts before being traded.
Moving to Other Teams (2023-Present)
On August 1, 2023, Jack was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched well in his first game with them. He played nine games for the Orioles that season.
In 2024, Jack signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers. He pitched very well for them, with a 2.95 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 18 starts.
Later in 2024, on July 30, the Tigers traded Jack to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He continued to pitch strongly for the Dodgers, helping them reach the playoffs. He pitched in the 2024 NLDS and 2024 NLCS.
World Series Champion (2024)
Jack was chosen to start Game 1 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees. He pitched five scoreless innings. Even though he had a tough outing in Game 5, the Dodgers came back to win that game and the World Series! Jack Flaherty became a World Series champion.
Back with the Tigers (2025-Present)
On February 7, 2025, Jack signed a new contract to return to the Detroit Tigers. On May 22, 2025, Jack reached a big milestone: he recorded his 1,000th career strikeout!
Jack's Life Outside Baseball
Jack Flaherty was adopted when he was three weeks old. He is Catholic and identifies as Black. He has been active in supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and other social justice causes.
See also
- List of World Series starting pitchers
