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.
Why? He stinks
Both him and Cease had bad years by their standards. Underlying metrics say that they’re not their true talent levels.
@BadMojo
Flaherty helped the dodgers win a World Series when most of their pitchers were injured. He also brought Detroit a nice return package that year. He’s been reliable by modern standards. He’s absolutely worth the QO just to see if he can help anchor another playoff run or bring back more prospects at the deadline.
You couch jockeys sit on your keyboards and insult every player who isn’t a HOF but baseball execs are much more levelheaded
Bring On The Meds: Actually. Flaherty’s ERA in the WS last year was over 8….just sayin’….
@jammin
Yeah that’s a cool small sample size stat but LA had no one healthy. They would’ve burnt out their bullpen if not for a guy like Jack. I’m not saying Jack won them a WS, I’m saying they won one and Jack helped by taking the mound every 5th day.
Jack started 2x as many WS games as anyone else in LA. Also Casparius and Walker started games and didn’t make the post season this year, yet (for Ben). Walker had a 0.00 ERA that World Series so by your standards Walker is the guy everyone should be interested in.
How did that work out this year?
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.
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
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
@Mariners Fan
“Another Ohtani situation”
Angels should’ve definitely traded Ohtani and not just in hindsight. Everyone knew they weren’t likely to make the playoffs that year or resign Shohei. That farm system could use an infusion of talent. They basically doomed Mike Trout’s chance at competing in the future.
The name of the game is build depth because most prospects will fail and most established pitchers get injured. Ohtani getting TJS his last season in Anaheim is a perfect example.
Mariners have done a great job and their excellent pitching depth built through drafts should be an example everyone follows
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.
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,
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.
Not a whole lot of money considering your team gave Walker Buehler more than $20 million/1 year after his horrible season coming off a TJS. Everything is relative and Flaherty and Buehler were on the same team 2 years ago and Jack was a rotation mainstay in Oct while Walker got pushed to the bullpen
I think the best option for all parties is a QO accepted by Jack. Detroit gets a low risk 1 year deal, Jack gets to re-enter FA next year without any QO
He’s got to be kidding right!!??
Right!!??