Jack Flaherty’s Return to the Tigers: A Strategic Move for Both Sides
In a move that has the baseball world buzzing, right-hander Jack Flaherty and the Detroit Tigers have agreed on a two-year, $35 million contract, sources told ESPN on Sunday. This deal reunites one of the best remaining free agents with the team where he found his groove last season.
The contract, which is still pending a physical, includes an intriguing opt-out clause after the first year. In this initial year, Detroit will pay Flaherty a hefty $25 million. The second year guarantees him $10 million, with the potential to earn up to $20 million if he starts at least 15 games. This structure reflects both the Tigers’ confidence in Flaherty’s abilities and the player’s desire to keep his options open.
As we delve into the fourth month of free agency, it’s clear that the long-term-contract market for the 29-year-old Flaherty never quite materialized. Thus, he chose to return to the Tigers, who had previously signed him for $14 million last winter. Notably, the $25 million salary for this year places him among the top 10 highest-paid starting pitchers in 2025.
Flaherty’s performance last season certainly justified this pay increase. During his time in Detroit, he started 18 games, boasting a 2.95 ERA and an impressive nearly 7-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His talents caught the eye of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who acquired him just minutes before the trade deadline. Flaherty then went on to throw the most postseason innings of any Dodgers pitcher, playing a crucial role in their World Series victory.
Flaherty’s standout playoff performances with the Dodgers did not go unnoticed around the league. He achieved his offseason goal of reestablishing himself after injuries and ineffectiveness had previously derailed his promising career trajectory. His journey began with a 3.34 ERA in 151 innings as a rookie with the Cardinals in 2018, followed by a stellar fourth-place National League Cy Young performance in 2019. However, injuries in 2021 and 2022 slowed his progress, and he spent 2023 refining his pitch mix, including a new cutter.
Detroit, with its spacious Comerica Park, proved to be an ideal setting for Flaherty, a flyball pitcher. Although the Tigers surged to a postseason berth after trading him, Flaherty’s time with both the Tigers and Dodgers was highly productive. He managed to lower his regular-season ERA from 4.99 in 2023 to 3.17 over 162 innings, with 194 strikeouts and 38 walks. This impressive performance earned him the rare distinction of receiving playoff shares from two teams.
Flaherty’s return to the Tigers adds depth to an already formidable rotation. The team boasts American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, along with right-handers Reese Olson, Casey Mize, and Alex Cobb, who signed a one-year, $15 million deal this winter. Additionally, the Tigers have right-handers Matt Manning and Keider Montero, as well as Jackson Jobe, who is arguably the best pitching prospect in baseball.
- Flaherty’s contract guarantees him $10 million more than the one signed by Jordan Montgomery last year.
- Montgomery secured $22.5 million this year by reaching a games-started threshold.
- Carlos Rodon‘s two-year, $44 million contract with San Francisco in 2022 required 110 innings to opt out, which he achieved before signing with the New York Yankees.
In conclusion, Flaherty’s return to the Tigers is a strategic move for both the player and the team. It offers Flaherty a chance to continue his resurgence in a familiar environment while bolstering the Tigers’ rotation with a proven talent. As the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on Flaherty to see if he can replicate his past successes and lead the Tigers to new heights.
Originally Written by: ESPN.com
