Many Cardinals filled out their ballots for the Players’ Choice Awards on Tuesday, and one of the honors presented by the players and their union is for the top performance by a rookie. There is a blank line on the ballot — it’s not multiple choice — and DeJong had to commit, by pen, whether Flaherty, a pitcher, stood above two of the game’s starburst rookie outfielders, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Juan Soto.
The Cardinals’ opinion of Flaherty has been clear since they tinkered with the rotation to assure their rookie righthander will be a factor in the final weekend of the regular season, if needed, or their starter for the wild-card playoff game, if they qualify.