The New York Yankees fell one series short of winning the World Series in 2024. The Bronx Bombers fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games and Los Angeles has already upgraded its roster for 2025.

The Yankees need to follow suit or else they’re going to be left in the dust. New York is still chasing Juan Soto, who’s expected to sign any day now, but it needs to add other talents as well.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently predicted the Yankees would steal Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty on a three-year, $52 million contract in free agency this winter. What better way to beat the Dodgers than to steal their players?

“The Yankees seem to be a perfect fit for Flaherty, whom they came close to acquiring at last season’s trade deadline but ultimately nixed the potential deal over medical concerns about his lower back,” Bowden wrote. “However, if they are comfortable with his medical records and health risk this time, a deal with the righty still makes sense to bolster their rotation depth — and this way, the Yankees won’t have to part with prospects to get him. Flaherty, 29, went 13-7 last season with a 3.17 ERA over 28 starts. He struck out 194 in 162 innings and was worth 3.1 WAR.”

Flaherty makes a lot of sense for the Yankees, especially if they can land him for less than $20 million a year. The reality is Flaherty will make much more than $20 million a season, especially after Luis Severino just landed a three-year, $67 million deal.

Flaherty will likely not sign for anything less than what Severino got. He could still be a target of the Yankees.