Flaherty to start Opening Day for Cardinals

Jack Flaherty will take the hill when the St. Louis Cardinals open their 60-game regular season against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 24.

The team hasn't announced the decision, but the 24-year-old told reporters on Tuesday that Cardinals manager Mike Shildt informed him of the decision, according to Derrick S. Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Flaherty will be the youngest Opening Day starter for the Cardinals since Joe Magrane in 1989, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com.

The hurler finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2019 after finishing 11-8 with a 2.75 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 33 starts.

Flaherty recorded a 0.91 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and limited opposing hitters to a .424 OPS during the second half of the campaign.