Ex-Detroit Tigers Star Jack Flaherty Predicted To Sign $100 Million Deal With Giants

Former Detroit Tigers starter Jack Flaherty is well on his way to landing a $100 million deal.

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

When Jack Flaherty signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers, the hope was for him to regain his value on the open market for this offseason.

To say the right-hander did that would be an understatement. He was moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline and helped them win a World Series. 

The California native did exactly what he needed to do with the Tigers. He pitched well enough for a couple of months and was traded to a contender, something every player who takes a one-year deal dreams about. 

Flaherty wouldn't have been opposed to Detroit keeping him around and working on a long-term deal, per sources, but trading him was the right thing to do from the Tigers' perspective. 

As he hits the open market this winter, the expectation is for him to get paid handsomely. Whether that deal will reach $100 million remains to be seen, but it shouldn't be out of the question.

In fact, with the other starting pitchers on the market getting the type of money they have so far, it almost feels safe to say that Flaherty will be the next in line to get at least $100 million. 

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report predicted that would be the case. He predicted Flaherty would sign a five-year, $100 million deal with the San Francisco Giants.

"Jack Flaherty is one of the more polarizing players on the market this offseason, as his 2024 performance and age suggest he should secure a nine-figure payday, but his injury history and lackluster numbers in 2023 give some reason for pause. The 29-year-old settled for a one-year, $14 million deal last winter, and he should have no problem exceeding the $17 million AAV that Frankie Montas received on his new deal with the New York Mets."

The Giants are working under a budget this winter, meaning they might not have enough money for Flaherty.

Still, it wouldn't be surprising to see them give him that type of deal, considering $20 million AAV isn't much for a pitcher of his caliber. Even if they're working under a budget, San Francisco has enough to give him that.

It's tough to get a feel for the exact type of pitcher he is. One could look at what he did during the 2024 campaign and suggest that's how he'll look moving forward. However, it's tough to ignore what he did in 2022 and 2023, where he posted an ERA above 4.20 in each showing.

Nonetheless, this is a "what can you do for me now" type of business, and Flaherty will almost certainly benefit from it.