Did Cardinals pitcher rush his return? Flaherty says no, but others aren’t as sure
A day after leaving his third abbreviated start of the 2022 season with what the team has termed stiffness in his right shoulder, St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty got straight to the point when asked about his level of concern for the remainder of the year.
“I’m gonna pitch again this season,” Flaherty said, firm and unwavering.
The decision to return to the major leagues rather than pitch additional rehab starts in the minor was one that was made in concert between the player and the team in a meeting at Busch Stadium two weeks ago. At the time, Flaherty described difficulty in finding the necessary intensity on a rehab assignment that would allow him to prepare fully for pitching in the majors.
On Monday, he remained confident in that decision.
“I wouldn’t change anything,” Flaherty said about the rehab process. “Why would we want to change anything? Everything felt great, we did everything the right way, training staff did everything the right way, organization did everything the right way. I wouldn’t go change anything.
“It’s unfortunate what’s happened. We did everything right. We were honest with each other through the whole process, everything felt great.”
Asked about the decision process to bring back Flaherty after only two – albeit very successful – rehab starts, President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said, “a lot of it’s based on the feedback you’re getting from the athlete. And at that point, it was very optimistic of where he was.
“Internally, we debated that. But you know, ultimately, it’s not our decision. We laid out a plan, the plan was deviated, and here we are.”
Mozeliak termed Flaherty’s injury as “rotator cuff inflammation with bursitis,” which is a more detailed version of the same description the team gave for Flaherty’s injury in spring training after initially disclosing the existence of a SLAP (superior labrum, anterior to posterior) tear which Flaherty later explained he had been pitching through for several years.
After tearing his oblique while batting last May in Los Angeles, Flaherty made a first comeback in August before experiencing tightness in the shoulder. He was unable to ramp up for spring training under his normal program this winter, and not long after the club reported to its complex in Jupiter, the decision was made to shut him down.
Ultimately, the decision whether to activate a player from the injured list is one made by the organization, which Mozeliak made clear. Flaherty himself, as well as manager Oliver Marmol, downplayed the possibility that the process had been rushed by pointing out there was no guarantee that a recurrence of shoulder discomfort could not otherwise have occurred at any other uncertain point.
“That’s why I say I wouldn’t take anything back,” Flaherty said. “I don’t think anything was rushed. Like, we did it the right way, and there’s nothing to say that this thing happens [on] the timetable that we went with before.”
“At the end of the day, we sat in this room and we discussed what Jack wanted, what we wanted, and what’s best moving forward,” Marmol explained. “We left the room with the decision of, alright, then that’s what we’re gonna do.
“Did it work out? No. Could this have happened in triple-A? Yes. So we can second guess it. But the reality is, he’s back on the IL.”
Marmol conceded it was likely that Flaherty would be out through the All-Star Break, if for no other reason than a round of rest, treatment, and further rehab starts is likely to push the calendar at least those three weeks. For now, Flaherty’s next step is to meet with team physicians in St. Louis, which he will do this week, determining a plan of action.
“This could have been a lot worse, especially if I go ahead and push through it,” Flaherty said. “Everything feels pretty good. It’s just a little tight to throw. We’re gonna move forward and play good ball. Second place in our division, big stretch of games coming up.
“Watching [the other starters], helping them however I can, and focus on myself making sure I can get back as soon as I can to help the team.”
This story was originally published June 27, 2022 at 6:27 PM.
