Following the Tigers’ 15th-inning loss to the Mariners in Game 5 of the ALDS, right-hander Jack Flaherty (who pitched two scoreless innings late in the game) spoke to members of the media about how much he enjoyed returning to Detroit this season. “I came back here for a reason, to be with these guys, play with them, and be part of this team. I didn’t want to leave it last year,” he explained (per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi).
Flaherty, 30 next week, signed a two-year, $35MM guarantee with the Tigers in the offseason. Earlier this season, he increased that guarantee by reaching the 15-start threshold and escalating his 2026 player option from $10MM to $20MM. In a few weeks, he’ll have a decision to make: Will he opt in for 2026 or return to free agency for a third year in a row?
According to Morosi, Flaherty has not yet decided what he’s going to do. In an MLBTR poll at the end of September, more than 60% of readers said he should stay with Detroit, but Tigers beat writer Evan Woodberry of MLive.com claims “it would be a surprise” to see Flaherty pick up his option.
Flaherty signed a one-year, $14MM deal with the Tigers in his first offseason as a free agent. He was two years younger than he is now, but he was coming off a mediocre season (144 1/3 IP, 4.99 ERA, 4.53 SIERA, 1.8 fWAR) and had dealt with significant injuries in both 2021 and ’22. Following a much stronger 2024 campaign (162 IP, 3.17 ERA, 3.10 SIERA, 3.3 fWAR), he re-entered free agency but failed to land the long-term deal he was surely looking for, ultimately settling for his aforementioned two-year deal in February. That contract initially came with a $17.5MM average annual value, which he increased to $22.5MM. Now another year older and coming off a less impressive season (161 IP, 4.64 ERA, 3.67 SIERA, 2.5 fWAR), it’s worth wondering if he’ll want to risk another disappointing foray into free agency.
Because he was traded to the Dodgers ahead of the deadline in 2024, Flaherty was not eligible to receive a qualifying offer last offseason. It’s certainly possible he opts for free agency, only to receive a qualifying offer (projected to be worth around $22MM) and take it, earning himself an extra $2MM. The righty is precisely the type of player whose earning power could be hamstrung by a qualifying offer, so he might prefer to accept it, play another season with Detroit, and try to enter free agency in a stronger position the following winter. It seems like a safe bet that Flaherty could out-earn $22MM on a multi-year deal this offseason, but the AAV would likely be lower. If he believes he can produce a stronger campaign in 2026, he could maximize his total earnings by taking the $22MM and looking for a more lucrative long-term contract a year from now.
If Flaherty returns next season, the Tigers might run with a very similar rotation to the group they used in 2025, featuring Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, and a hopefully healthy Reese Olson. As things stand, Troy Melton, Keider Montero and Sawyer Gipson-Long could compete for the final spot, although president of baseball operations Scott Harris would be wise to look for some outside help.
If he does opt out, I don’t think he would, Tigers should probably try and sign him back on another two-year deal.
Give him a QO. Would be a small raise, no term, and nobody is going to surrender a 1st to sign the guy.
@virgil trucks They don’t have to surrender a 1st anymore.
Both him and Cease had bad years by their standards. Underlying metrics say that they’re not their true talent levels.
Bring On The Meds: Actually. Flaherty’s ERA in the WS last year was over 8….just sayin’….
Walker was just on the Phillies NLDS roster how did he not make the playoffs this year?
Zerbs? You’re arguing for Walker over Jack? Did you even watch baseball this year?
Fett – dude just pointed out that Walker made the playoffs to correct the mistake- how do you read into his very brief comment that he was preferring Walker over JF?
Seems he likes it there and has success, get a bump in pay and go back
Opt out and take the QO if they extend him one. Don’t want to go into FA next year with the risk of one attached.
Probably the prudent move on both sides.
Tigers need Jack back. After the circus acts of Kenta Maeda and Alex Cobb. The spectacular flameouts of Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton. The injury to Jackson Jobe. The injury risks with Reese Olson…
At least you know Jack can give you 25+ starts and 150+ strikeouts. Let’s not pretend Keider Montero or Sawyer Gipson-Long can fill his shoes in 2026.
Don’t overthink this one, Mr. Harris. If he opts out – offer the QO.
“You can never have too much pitching” – Darragh McDonald, 1974
As erratic as he was, he’s still a #3 in Detroit.
I agree, but Flaherty had a pretty healthy season (for him) this year. I suspect he’s dur for some significant sown time in ’26.
Mize will be a FA after ’26 too. Next year the Tigers (Skubal, Mize and Flaherty) will all be pitching for big FA contracts in’27. The Tiger’s WS window is wide open for next year. 2027…nit so much.
QO acceptance makes sense for Flaherty if offered since a high $ if Tigers want to go for it in Skubal’s contract year…..but does Det want to be more creative for how best to use ’26 budget?
They’d clearly only deal Skubal at deadline if the team was struggling.
Fans would go insane and blame the tigers if they traded skubal, but they would blame skubal if he leaves the team in free agency
Could be another ohtani situation where it’s not worth it to trade him, who would trade a back 2 back cy young award winner
If you make him your best offer (and good offer) and he does not accept it then the Tigers should at least listen to offers. Like Houston did with Kyle Tucker.
And wait til the deadline unless a team (NYM,NYY,LAD) overwhelms you in January. If you’re out of contention, sell to the highest bidder. Neither side seems like a long term deal is gonna happen at this point.
We like Jack here in Dodger land, and really appreciate everything he contributed to winning the world series.
But there’s a reason we didn’t resign him. We have enough starting arms, and he would be too expensive for long relief.
I hope he makes out like a bandit if he opts for free agency.
Don’t get me wrong I would trade Tarik if the tigers don’t have a chance at resigning him it’s just that he might make too much money for the Little Caesars
They might decide that his money for one year and a 10% chance at resigning is better than all of the prospects they get in return
I think the best thing for all involved is to opt out. Make a qualifying offer, and enter free agency after 2026. Just seems like everyone will end up getting what they want in the end.
Take the 20 million. It’s true he could make more it a longer term contract, but performance isn’t there for a sane FO to offer him a high AAV multi-year deal. He hasn’t had an outstanding year since 2019–he’s a best a #3,
No player should opt in for less than his market value. Period.
I’d argue this might be a moment to consider it. Opts out, he could get tagged with a QO, so assuming he rejects it he faces the market. Is he worth a multi-year deal at, say, 5/100? or 4/90? If so, then opt out. But if he’s struggling with the market because he’s managed just about a total of 5WAR since 2019 and that’s not particularly noteworthy, what happens if the offers he gets reflect that? If he takes the $20 and has a good year, his MV goes up considerably. It’s a gamble, I admit,
@mike156 He can accept the QO if they extend it.
No reason he can’t ask the Tigers if they plan to offer the QO before he makes his decision.
Blue, no doubt this type of conversation happens a lot behind closed doors. That said, in this particular case, if I was a Detroit exec, I’d probably say “we just don’t know and may not know until after the deadline but we aren’t going to complain if you opt in” to save $2 million.
They have no right to complain if he opts in. But I would expect them to be honest about their intentions and not play games if they sincerely want him to remain in the organization.
The “won’t complain” was tongue in cheek.
@Blue Baron They have ZERO reason to be forthcoming about that.
Why? They’re adults, not children.
Because if they plan to extend it they’d rather he just opt in and if he knows they’re extending it it’s 100% he opts out.
Nobody’s going to play cat and mouse like that. It’s business, not a game.
Teams and player agencies are continually doing business. A perceived lack of honesty might harm the relationship between a team and a player’s representatives that’s worth a lot more than one transaction and $2 million.
“Lack of honesty” – no one said anything about not being honest.
Lack of conveying what is really on your mind is a negotiation strategy that any successful business person utilizes.
Yes, but that assumes they are willing to risk him taking it. That’s a good bet, but it’s not assured.
Agree, but I don’t think they are obligated to tell him, and from a negotiation standpoint, it might be a mistake to do so.
I think your point is a fair one, but I also wonder it the “honesty ” argument” cuts both ways. The best outcome for the team, if he plans to leave, is to make a no-risk QO offer–and it happens a lot to the gotta-have stars. But should the team extend the offer (and put the collar on the player) if it really doesn’t want him back? It’s a business, and if the player is Soto, everyone understands it and accepts it. The player on the bubble, who could use a pillow platform year….then the intention of both sides has monetary value. To your point, I agree you’d never say something false–like promising to not accept a QO if offered, or promising to extend if he doesn’t trigger the option.
Longtimecoming is right for once. If they plan to go to the QO they would prefer Flaherty opt in so they save $2m and retain the right to extend the QO next year.
But which deadline comes first?
Option deadline comes before QO deadline.
What horse manure. He came back to Detroit because they offered him $35 million. If another team offered more, he would have gone there and declared that he loved the team culture and dedication to winning, which would have been more horse manure. It’s the money, period. Unless you’re Jose Ramirez.
Take the 1/20 and hope for a better walk season. Unless he is certain the Tigers would offer him a QO, which would give him 2mil more plus free him from future QO’s.
Over the years I kept an eye on Jack Flaherty and thought that he was real good even when battling injuries. I was excited when the Tigers signed him originally and I still think that he is better than this years record. He lost some tight games due to a lack of run support. He seems like he looses focus or confidence too much for my liking. It wouldn’t break my heart to see him go elsewhere. Ilitch needs to get up off of the wallet and Harris needs to pursue real qualified MLB players. No Alex Cobb, no Chris Padsack, no Tommy Kahnle, no Tanner Rainey types.
Over this last 4 seasons he’s a 4.25 ERA pitcher. That’s probably what he really is. He might get a 3 year $45m deal- maybe $50m
I could see him opting out but $20 million is a lot for him to leave on the table.
He’s got to be kidding right!!??
Right!!??
If Taillon can get 3/75 so can Flahtery. He’ll reject the option and the QO.
Flahtery and Taillon are pitching for contenders in meaningful innings, there is something to be said for that! Free agency is worst place to find value in a player. Good GMs look to trade first to fill their holes. Drafting/ Farm systems are the best place to get value. Teams like the Dodgers and
Brewers are excellent at it, with the Dodgers adding stars to keep them on top1
At the very least Jack has to decline the player option to force them to burn the “QO card.” If he then accepts that he makes an extra $2m and they can’t extend him one after 2026.
Hey Tigers fans what was Flaherty going on about as he was pitching in yesterday’s game?? It was truly weirding me out, as I had never seen that before.
He was shaking Dingler off but being extra about it.
He’s talked to himself before, but he was having a good old debate on the mound yesterday!
I thought he was actually doing it intentionally to throw off the batter because his own stuff was kind of …not sharp. But lo and behold he got out of it, somehow. I was beside myself, thought the game was over when he started walking people while jibber jabbing away. I’m not a lip reader, but I’m not even sure he was actually saying any words that formed anything coherent.
He was channeling his inner Fidrych
That dude was before my time, but I’ve heard some stories. Sounded like quite a character.
Reminds me of Ole Grover Cleveland Alexander. First a conqueror, then a President, then a beloved children puppet. Veritable triple threat
No, the Triple Threat at that time was Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown. Probably wouldn’t have been taken out after the 6th inning. (Probably because he was the only pitcher on the roster.)
Skubal, Olson, Mize, Flaherty and Melton is a nice Top 5, with Gipson-Long and Montero in reserve. Go get some good power bullpen arms. Go get a bat or two…Kyle Schwarber at DH and Ha Seong Kim at SS/Utility mix please (or even bring vack Torres). NO Bregman please.
Carp, Greene, Tork and Schwarber in the middle of the lineup would rock. Keith at 3B is due to take a step forward.
Go with a 6 man rotation, but rotate Skubal every 5 days. Sawyer, Kenny Serwa, and Andrew Sears in AAA for depth.
Schwarber would be a nice addition, but there’s going to be competition. They need a solid veteran hitter under a multiyear contract for offense and leadership.
Carp, Greene, Tork, Bichette and Schwarber in the middle of the lineup would rock even more.
Is he really much better than Keider Montero? Melton looks like a great #2, Reese Olson seems injury prone, can’t expect Jobe back until 27. Pitching wasn’t the problem.
When he’s at his best, definitely yes. His problem this season was consistency. Montero seems to be more of an innings-eater. Not as dominant.
Count Floyd can’t make up his mind cause its scary out!
It’s a tougher decision than I originally thought it should be. He’s turns 30 in a couple of days and is younger enough and has a track record that’s good enough to command a multi year deal. Not a long one but a decent one. Last offseason was really his best shot of getting the deal he was hoping for and they were just not handing those deals out aside from Soto. This wasn’t exactly a good year for him so any deal that he does get will likely be a lower AAV than 20 mil. 2 to 3 years ballpark 15 mil per year is my guess. That would secure more than $20 mil next season but if I were him I’d gamble on himself a bit more. Again, he has enough history that unless he has an awful injury, he can prob (in the worst case scenario) keep getting 1 year deals until he surpasses whatever longer term contract he may get this offseason. Go grab that $20 mil, hope for at least the same if not better season, then he’ll still be young enough to potentially get a 2-3 year deal. If bad, I still think he finds himself in the 12-15 mil AAV. If good again, prob near the $18-20 mil AAV .. win win for him in either situation
You are free to go.
You absolutely try to bring Flaherty back. 1458 innings to get through a season not counting extras. He’s not paid like an ace and reliable reliability is an undervalued commodity imo. No one has 5 aces unless you’re the Dodgers and their 500million payroll.
Let him walk , but I’m betting he’ll opt in.