St. Louis Cardinals: What do we know so far about Flaherty’s injury

The St. Louis Cardinals have withstood a surplus of injuries to start the season, being at or near the top of the National League Central for most of the regular season. But there are a few players the team can ill afford to lose, with starting pitcher Jack Flaherty being among them.

So when Flaherty left his start Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, there was immediate concern. He was pulled with what the team called “left side tightness,” feeling the discomfort increase in the final pitches he threw in a 9-4 loss. He is scheduled to undergo further testing on Tuesday morning, with the Cardinals attempting to figure out his status in the near and long-term.

“I still feel good. I feel like I’m in a good spot,” Flaherty said, via Zachary Silver of MLB.com. “Just kind of gauge things as we go from here.”

Losing Flaherty for any length of time, let alone an extended absence, would be a devastating blow for the Cardinals. He has looked like an ace this season, starting the year 8-1 with a 2.90 ERA and 67/20 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 62 innings, enhancing his chances to be a prominent name in the Cy Young conversation.

It’s exactly what the Cardinals needed from Flaherty, 25, when the season began. They needed an ace to head their rotation and with injuries to Carlos Martinez, Miles Mikolas, and Kwang Hyun Kim, the pressure has been on Flaherty to step up in their absence. He has more than done that, but if he misses any time, it’s unclear if that group is talented enough to cover his starts, especially with Mikolas shut down with another forearm injury.

The Cardinals may need to look outside the organization for answers and with the trade deadline less than two months away, should have no shortage of options. For now, however, they would rely on in-house options such as John Gant and Daniel Ponce de Leon to fill the void.

Tuesday’s tests should give the Cardinals the answers they seek. For now, the entire organization is holding their collective breaths that Flaherty’s injury is not serious.