Jack Flaherty emphatically announces return to Tigers (and scoops Jeff Passan)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the picture that Jack Flaherty posted to social media Sunday night was worth just two: He's back.

The 29-year-old right-hander is fresh off a World Series championship with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he wore jersey No. 0. However, he posted a photo of himself on X taken from behind that clearly showed his No. 9 jersey – the jersey he wore with the Detroit Tigers before he was traded to Los Angeles.

Fans began clamoring for confirmation that the post meant what they thought it did – that Flaherty had re-signed with the Tigers. After all, it's rare in today's news cycle for a major free agent signing to be reported by the player himself.

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan did eventually confirm the news approximately four minutes later, reporting that Flaherty and the Tigers had agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season.

Finally, we have signs of life in the Motor City! Whatever momentum the Tigers had carried into the offseason following their unlikely run to Game 5 of the 2024 ALDS seemed to have evaporated during a rather quiet winter, but Flaherty represented one of the few remaining glimmers of hope that Detroit could make a real, needle-moving signing in free agency before the start of spring training. Now, he's back – and so is the Tigers' momentum.

Tigers' Jack Flaherty contract details

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Flaherty will earn $25 million in 2025, after which he can opt out of the contract. His guaranteed salary for 2026 is $10 million, and it can go as high as $20 million if he starts 15 games this season. In other words, Flaherty has the potential to earn up to $45 million over the next two years.

After a down season with the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles in 2023, Flaherty bet on himself and won. He signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Tigers ahead of the 2024 season and went on to have a career year in which he went a combined 13-7 with the Tigers and the Dodgers. He had a 3.17 ERA, with 194 strikeouts and 38 walks in 162 innings.

The Tigers made the postseason after trading Flaherty last season, and the Dodgers won a World Series with his help. Now, he has the chance to help Detroit do both.

More Tigers content from Motor City Bengals