In less than a week, pitchers and catchers will report to spring training and a new season of baseball will be upon us.
For St. Louis Cardinals fans, the day can’t come soon enough.
After a disappointing Wild Card Series loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, fans have been itching to see some more Cardinals baseball.
Soon, they’ll get that chance.
One piece of the puzzle that may be the X-factor for this team is right-hander Jack Flaherty.
Flaherty has essentially lost two seasons recovering from injuries, but he looked solid upon his return to the rotation in September.
On Twitter, a Cardinals fan posted an audio clip of a segment from MLB Network radio and stressed the importance of Flaherty remaining healthy.
I've been waiting, and waiting some more, for Jack Flaherty to have a Cy Young type season. I believe he has it in him, and 2023 would be the perfect time for it. #STLCards pic.twitter.com/FWKIjtlh96
— Cardinals Dude (@Turn2Dude) February 4, 2023
St. Louis ultimately passed on adding any starting pitching help this offseason.
As things stand right now, the rotation is full of question marks.
But a healthy Flaherty could get the rotation back to where it was before Flaherty first went down in 2021.
It was a top-tier rotation with a lot of upside.
If Flaherty is healthy, then the Cardinals may have a better chance at going deeper into the postseason.
The right-hander did not pitch in the Wild Card Series against the Phillies.
But the Cardinals seem confident that Flaherty is healthy again and have faith that he will return to his old form, which would give them a true ace to go alongside Adam Wainwright and Miles Mikolas.
Staying healthy will be the key for Flaherty, and if he does remain healthy, it may alleviate the need for more starting pitching.
NEXT: Throwback Video Shows A Clutch Scott Rolen Moment
