Detroit Tigers Predicted to Sign Former Pitcher to Strengthen Rotation

As the Detroit Tigers consider looking for one more rotation piece, a reunion with a former starter could make sense.

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty (0) reacts after being relieved during the second inning against the New York Yankees in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers have had a somewhat quiet offseason, which is certainly disappointing considering the success of last year.

Coming into the winter, the Tigers were a team that insiders thought might be in the mix for some of the top free agents. Financially, Detroit is capable of making a splash, but nothing major has come yet.

Despite making the postseason in 2024 and beating the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card round, the Tigers are a team still in need of talent.

Coming into the winter, they needed a front-end-of-the-rotation starting pitcher and a middle-of-the-order hitter. So far, the two notable signings were starting pithcer Alex Cobb and second baseman Gleyber Torres. Both of those players were signed to just one-year deals, which could indicate that they still might have more planned.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently projected what the starting rotation for the Tigers would look like in 2025. Surprisingly he had them making a big splash by signing Jack Flaherty to help strengthen the front end of the rotation. He wrote that a deal made sense, especially with Flaherty reportedly open to a short-term deal with a high average annual value salary with opt-outs.

There has been a ton of money handed out to starting pitchers this winter, but Flaherty hasn't found the payday he was hoping for yet.

Flaherty hit free agency after coming off a poor second in 2023 and he signed a one-year, prove-ti deal with the Tigers. He went 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA.

The 29-year-old's strong first half resulted in him being one of the most sought-after starting pitchers at the trade deadline. He was ultimately traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he went on to help them win a World Series.

Likely due to some of the inconsistencies throughout his career, Flaherty might not get the long-term deal that he desires. However, a shorter-term deal with Detroit makes a lot of sense for both sides.

With two years of team control left on ace Tarik Skubal, the time to win in Detroit is now. If the Tigers are willing to pay a bit more upfront for a reunion with their former starter, he could help be a front-end starter and not handicap them when they try to sign their ace.

Overall, a reunion of Flaherty and Detroit makes a lot of sense and would create a strong rotation heading into 2025.