SF Giants can return the favor to Dodgers by poaching this pitcher

The Los Angeles Dodgers made a big splash this offseason by signing Blake Snell after he spent last year with the SF Giants. The Giants have a chance to return the favor by signing free agent Jack Flaherty who was a big part of LA's World Series win.

It certainly stings that Snell is now going to be a Dodger, but the Giants can still be active in free agency and improve their starting rotation. Flaherty may not be the best free agent starter available, but he has advantages over the likes of Corbin Burnes and Max Fried.

SF Giants can steal Jack Flaherty from Dodgers as revenge for Blake Snell signing

Both Burnes and Fried were extended qualifying offers by their clubs. This means that if they sign were to sign with the Giants, San Francisco would lose draft compensation as a result. Flaherty was not extended a qualifying offer so the Giants would not have to cede any draft picks by signing him.

Flaherty was solid last season with the Detroit Tigers and the Dodgers. In 28 starts, he had a 3.17 ERA in 162 innings pitched. His strikeout rate of 10.8 per nine innings and his walk rate of 2.1 per nine innings is solid. His FIP, or expected ERA, was 3.48 which shows he was maybe the beneificary of good defense behind him but still pitched well.

Flaherty may not be as flashy as a Burnes or Fried, but he is still a very solid starter with a proven track record.

Some of the projections on a potential Flaherty contract vary, but most estimates have him earning in the $20 million per year range. Landing him for that amount on a three or four year deal would make sense for the Giants and would give them a solid top three in their rotation of Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Flaherty.

It will not be easy for the Giants to land Flaherty. He will have other suitors that will probably include the Dodgers. Flaherty is a native of southern California and has expressed a desire to return to the Dodgers, so it would not be easy for the Giants to come up north.

However, if they really want to stick it to the Dodgers after they stole Snell, returning the favor by signing away Flaherty would be a good way to do it.