The first time in his young career that starter Jack Flaherty had the leverage to force a raise from the Cardinals he used it — and won.
As the result of an arbiter's ruling revealed Saturday, Flaherty's argument defeated the Cardinals and claimed a $3.9 million salary for the coming season, according to a source. It is the first loss for the Cardinals in an arbitration hearing since 1994 when Gregg Jefferies bested the club.
The current front office and ownership group had never lost an arbitration, and they once went more than 15 years without one.