After the Tigers lost to the Mariners in the 15th inning of ALDS Game 5, the right-hander Jack Flaherty (who pitched two scoreless innings late in the game) spoke to members of the media about how much he enjoyed being back in Detroit this season. “I came back here for a reason, which is to be around these guys, play with them and be a part of this team. I didn’t want to leave it last year,” he explained (per Jon Morosi of MLB Network).
Flaherty, who turns 30 next week, signed a two-year, $3MM guaranteed deal with the Tigers this offseason. Earlier this season, he upped that guarantee to the 15-start threshold and upgraded his 2026 player option from $10 to $20. In a few weeks, he’ll have a decision to make: Will he join in 2026 or return to free agency for a third straight year?
According to Morosi, Flaherty has not yet decided what he will do. In a late-September MLBTR poll, more than 60 percent of readers said he should stay in Detroit, but the Tigers beat MLive.com writer Evan Woodberry, who claimed it “would be a surprise” to see Flaherty take his pick.
Flaherty signed a one-year, $14MM contract with the Tigers in his first offseason as a free agent. He’s two years younger, but he’s coming off a mediocre season (144 1/3 IP, 4.99 ERA, 4.53 SIERA, 1.8 fWAR) and has dealt with significant injuries in both 2021 and ’22. After a much stronger 2024 campaign (162 IP, 3.17 ERA, 3.10 SIERA, 3.3 fWAR), he re-entered free agency but was unable to secure the long-term deal he was looking for, ultimately landing the aforementioned two-year deal in February. The contract initially had an average annual value of $17.50, which he later raised to $22.50. Now a year older and coming off a less-than-impressive season (161 IP, 4.64 ERA, 3.67 SIERA, 2.5 fWAR), it’s questionable whether he’s willing to risk another shot at free agency.
Flaherty was ineligible for a qualifying offer last offseason due to being traded to the Dodgers before the 2024 deadline. It’s certainly possible that he opts for free agency only to receive a qualifying offer (expected to be worth around $22MM or so) and accept it, earning himself an extra $2MM. The right-hander is exactly the kind of player whose earning power might be diminished by a qualifying offer, so he might be more willing to take it, play one more season in Detroit and try to enter free agency the following winter in a stronger position. What seems certain is that Flaherty will likely make $22MM on a multi-year deal this offseason, but the AAV will likely be lower. If he believes he can have a stronger campaign in 2026, he could maximize his total by accepting $22MM and looking for a more lucrative long-term deal a year later.
If Flaherty returns next season, the Tigers’ rotation could be very similar to the one they use in 2025, which includes Tarik Skubal, Casey Meadsand those who wish to be healthy Reese Olson. Judging from the current situation, Troy Melton, Cade Montero and Sawyer Gibson-Long While president of baseball operations Scott Harris would be wise to seek some outside help, he could still be in contention for the final spot.
