One of the very few things that hasn't gone right for the Detroit Tigers in the 2025 season is the addition of veteran starter Jack Flaherty. Advanced numbers suggested that some regression this season was possible. However, Flaherty filled a clear need and had a track record of being a reliable option at the bottom of a rotation. This hasn't been Detroit's experience with Flaherty's performance drastically swinging up and down.
The last three starts serve as a perfect example of this, with the veteran giving up 10 earned runs in two rough starts before tossing seven shutout innings. Detroit signed the veteran to be a stabilizing force, and the opposite has been the case. This season won't be the debate either, with Flaherty having a player option for the 2026 season. With the struggles the veteran has displayed, the $10 million option is going to be difficult to turn down.
Flaherty still could be traded even if the veteran opts in, depending on how the final month of the season goes. If the veteran can get hot enough to put together a strong finish, the $10 million price tag looks far more manageable.
Veteran Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty Continues to Put Detroit Future into Question
The up-and-down season continuing would likely end the veteran's time with the franchise. Trading Flaherty can be accomplished with the level of desperation to find viable starting pitching. Even with the starter's struggles, a team will be willing to take the $10 million gamble that they can turn back the clock with a change of scenery.
Flaherty is 7-12 with a 4.51 ERA in 25 starts this season, perfectly illustrating how frustrating his performance has been. The starter shows just enough flashes of being a productive option to stick in the rotation. However, it seems every great start is followed by a few poor outings. With this in mind, Flaherty's last start is a chance to begin to build a hot streak that could change the offseason outlook.
If that isn't the case, the Tigers have no other choice but to part ways with the veteran. Flaherty simply hasn't given any reason to believe he can be trusted moving forward. Detroit is far too elite a team to continue to put up with mediocrity. This is the next step for the organization as they end what will hopefully become a long October run. Cutting failing pieces and working to maintain the sudden elite status the 2025 season has built.