Jack Flaherty's response to 2026 contract option won't sit well with Tigers fans

Jack Flaherty has an important decision to make regarding his potential return to the Detroit Tigers for a third season in 2026.

Namely, he needs to decide whether to accept or decline his $20 million player option within five days after the end of the World Series late this month or early next month. Right now, he's still undecided.

"I'll just let everything process," Flaherty said regarding his contract situation (via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press) after the Tigers were eliminated by the Seattle Mariners in Game 5 of the ALDS.

A nine-year MLB veteran, Flaherty logged a 4.64 ERA with 59 walks and 188 strikeouts across 161 innings in 31 starts for the Tigers in 2025. He was fine – not great – and honestly, it would likely be better for the Tigers if he declines his $20 million player option for 2026 and leaves in free agency.

Jack Flaherty opting out of his contract would be better for the Tigers' financial flexibility in 2026

If Flaherty opts in, Detroit overpays for mediocrity and loses financial flexibility. If he opts out, they gain a clean $20 million to spend on real upgrades or long-term extensions (Tarik Skubal, perhaps?). So, while Flaherty leaving would technically mean “losing” a veteran starter, it would actually be a quiet win for the Tigers’ roster-building strategy – a case of addition by subtraction, if you will.

Flaherty's $20 million price tag in 2026 is a steep one for an inconsistent pitcher. He was solid at times in 2025, but he's been more of a mid-rotation arm than a front-line one. His strikeout rate rebounded, but his command and durability remain question marks.

If the Tigers are paying ace-level money, they should be getting 180-plus innings of high-end production – something Flaherty hasn’t delivered consistently since 2019. If he opts in, Detroit’s paying for the name value and past flashes of dominance rather than current performance.

Given that Detroit’s payroll isn’t anywhere near that of the big-market clubs, flexibility is everything. Every overpay limits what they can do elsewhere.

Since Flaherty has a player option, the Tigers won’t get draft-pick compensation if he opts out – but that’s okay. The value lies in getting off the hook for that salary and resetting the rotation around Skubal, Reese Olson and Casey Mize with room to add another arm who fits their timeline (and their budget) better.

If Flaherty declines his option, the Tigers win quietly but decisively. They shed a big salary for middle-tier production, keep their rotation solid, and gain the flexibility to extend Skubal or add the offensive upgrades this roster badly needs.