Jack Flaherty had a forgettable start this evening, allowing eight runs without escaping the third inning at Tampa Bay. He’s likely to take a loss as a result, but he did check off a notable contractual milestone.
This was Flaherty’s 15th start of the season. His two-year free agent deal only guaranteed $10MM for the 2026 campaign, but that escalated by another $10MM once he reached 15 starts this year. Flaherty can opt out after this season, but he’ll now officially be weighing a $20MM call once the winter arrives.
It may wind up being immaterial. Flaherty certainly expected to opt out when he signed a two-year, $35MM guarantee. He was reportedly seeking a five-year deal early in the offseason, presumably one that’d get him to nine figures. The market didn’t materialize, leading to a modified pillow contract. He’s making $25MM this season and hoped for another swing at the long-term deal when he hit free agency at age 30.
That’s still the goal. Flaherty’s second season in Detroit has been inconsistent. He took a 4.03 earned run average into tonight’s start. It’s pushing 5.00 after that disastrous outing. Flaherty has been hit hard in consecutive appearances. He gave up seven runs to Cincinnati across 4 2/3 innings last time out. The two blow-ups have followed his best stretch of the year. Flaherty went six innings in each of his three starts between May 27 and June 8. He allowed one combined run while recording 21 strikeouts.
Flaherty has punched out more than 28% of opposing hitters. That’s in line with last season’s near-30% rate. He has had escalating home run issues over the past couple years, though. The option decision isn’t the focus anytime soon, but it’ll be a subplot of his second half. Flaherty has never received a qualifying offer, so the Tigers would be able to QO him if he opts out.
Still been a very good starter even when he has a rough outing. Lots of his starts have been great. A bargain at this price.
$25 million for this year and so far has produced a 4.03 ERA, 98 ERA+, and a FIP of 4.27.
His results to this point look like that of a #4 or maybe a good #5.
I wouldn’t call that a bargain. A more accurate descriptor might be ‘overpay’.
Your estimation of what constitutes a 4 or 5 starter varies widely from reality. Among IP qualified starters Flaherty’s ERA ranks 46th. With 30 teams the math tells a far different story.
Thank you Jack for helping win the Dodgers a world series. Would love to see a tigers – dodgers series.
Would love to see the tigers beat the empire
It won’t be because of Flaherty, it’ll be in spite of him….
Tigers better get someone stable at the trade deadline….
Not that splits will tell the whole story but he is proven to be a better second half pitcher in his career. I expect him to return to overqualified 3 starter production to decent 2 starter status. Not that it helps in the meantime because early-ish as it may be, these scuffed starts still count. That being said, somewhere in his 162 game avg of 12 wins 10 losses with a 3.67 ERA seems likely in my opinion. Thats not bad per se, but is it worth 25 mil? Normally it would be a resounding no from me, but in this day and age of constant injured pitchers, (to be clear I don’t actually know anything) what do I know?
It would be in his interest to have better outings if he wants to opt out and get that coveted five-year deal he’s looking to get…
It’s in every pitchers interest…
It would be in my best interest to buy a winning lottery ticket.
QO going to be $22M next year? It would be interesting if he opts out, they make a qualifying offer and he accepted.
Dude needs to end the season with much better numbers to have those options.
Flahrety careeer had been inconstant. One good 6ip one run game, the next coughing up 7 runs by the 3rd inning
I told Anthony and Steve that Flaherty would not get what they expected because he spoke up against Tony Clark. They removed him from his position in the union because of it.
Then baseball teams around the league blackballed him just like they’ve done plenty of times to other people, including Trevor and Yasiel.
Steven and Anthony acted like I was wrong. Time has only proven me right and made them look like fools again.
That’s something they’re used to because they’re always wrong. They even admit that there takes are lukewarm. Even the writers on FanGraphs are better than these losers.
C-YA !