Does Former Detroit Tigers’ New Free Agency Tactic Makes Reunion Possible?

A former Detroit Tigers starting pitcher has relaxed a contract demand that makes a reunion with the franchise a little more possible.

Jul 19, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers have an enviable top of the rotation for next season in Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.

Beyond that, the Tigers haven’t done much else in free agency, aside from signing Alex Cobb to a one-year deal. Cobb isn’t that far removed from an injury that caused him to miss most of the 2024 season.

The Tigers will give their top prospect, Jackson Jobe, every chance to win a spot in the rotation. Casey Mize returns, along with Reese Olson, Keider Montero and Matt Manning. Detroit can even dip into the bullpen and use Kenta Maeda.

The Tigers used pitcher Jack Flaherty as a trade chip last July, when it appeared that making the playoff was unlikely. Part of the return was Detroit’s new starting shortstop, Trey Sweeney.

A reunion between the Tigers and Flaherty seems unlikely. But Flaherty’s latest tactic in free agency may make it a bit more possible.  

Per The Athletic, he is now open to a short-term deal with a higher average annual value and opt-outs that allow him to explore the free-agent market later.

Last offseason, the market drove four players to do that — Blake Snell, Matt Chapman, Cody Bellinger and Jordan Montgomery.

For Snell and Chapman, the tactic worked incredibly well. Snell turned a two-year, $62 million deal with an opt-out after the season with the Giants into a five-year, $182 million deal with the Dodgers.

Chapman signed a similar deal with the Giants, but he enjoyed his time in San Francisco so much that he and the Giants agreed to a six-year, $151 million deal that keeps him there long-term.

Flaherty is now the top remaining free agent pitcher on the market. But, the market isn’t moving and spring training is a month away. Snell waited to sign until March, and it derailed the first half of his season. The former Tigers hurler may be looking to do the same thing.

Flaherty is entering his age 29 season at a time in which his value has never been higher. He’s coming off a career year in 2024, in which he went a combined 13-7 with the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had a 3.17 ERA, with 194 strikeouts and 38 walks in 162 innings.

The former first-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Cards and played most of his career there until he was traded at the 2023 deadline to the Baltimore Orioles, where his performance tailed off.

He has a career record of 55-41 with a 3.63 ERA, with 942 strikeouts and 292 walks in 829.2 innings. He has a lifetime 10.2 strikeout rate per nine innings.