Tigers reuniting with former ace could help begin free agency turnaround

Emma Lingan

Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty (0) pitches against the New York Yankees in the first inning during game one of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers rolled the dice on Jack Flaherty last offseason, signing him to a one-year, $14 million contract, and the right-hander proved to be well worth the gamble.

After a pair of turbulent, injury-riddled seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles, Flaherty reestablished himself during his stint with the Tigers and became the hottest pitching commodity at the MLB trade deadline.

After a deal between the Tigers and the New York Yankees fell through, Flaherty was ultimately shipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the final minutes before the deadline. In return, the Tigers received two up-and-coming prospects in catcher Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney – the latter of whom would make his MLB debut with the Tigers and become a contributor to the second-half surge that vaulted them into their first playoff berth in 10 years.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, got the ace they desperately needed in Flaherty. His arrival stabilized the injury-depleted pitching staff of a team that already had its eyes on making a deep October run. (As it turns out, that worked out pretty well for them.)

All in all, it was a win-win trade for both sides. But that still doesn't rule out a reunion between Flaherty and the Tigers this offseason.

Tigers reuniting with Jack Flaherty could help begin free agency turnaround

Flaherty went 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 133 strikeouts in 106.2 innings over 18 starts with the Tigers this season. When he was traded to the Dodgers – which, believe it or not, was only three months ago – the Tigers were deadline sellers, presumably out of the playoff race and already focused on next season.

A lot can change in three months. Entering the offseason, the Tigers now look like a team that could spend in a legitimate effort to become contenders in 2025. Starting pitching remains an area of need, and a reunion with Flaherty would actually make a ton of sense.

Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden predicts that the terms of Flaherty's next deal will be somewhere in the neighborhood of three years at $68 million. For a 29-year-old proven commodity like Flaherty, that would be well worth the Tigers' investment.

The Tigers are a team on the rise. Flaherty has a proven track record of success in Detroit. The Tigers need another bonafide, top-of-the-rotation arm to slot alongside staff ace Tarik Skubal. They should absolutely be making a push to bring Flaherty back to Detroit next season.

More Tigers content from Motor City Bengals

Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.