Former Detroit Tigers Hurler Still Top Remaining Free Agent Starter

As teams look to fill out their starting rotations, the one-time Detroit Tiger could be heavily sought after as Opening Day draws near.

Jul 24, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. | David Richard-Imagn Images

With Opening Day less than two months away, quite a few MLB teams could still be in the market for help solidifying their starting rotation, a group that likely includes the Detroit Tigers.

While there are several quality veteran options still available, according to Bleacher Report, the top right-handed starting pitcher still available on the free agent market is Jack Flaherty, the former Tiger and recent World Series champion as a trade deadline pickup for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the 2023-2024 offseason, Flaherty inked a one-year, $14 million deal with the Tigers, betting on his ability to increase his market value with a strong performance. Flaherty did exactly that, posting a 2.95 ERA over 18 starts in the Motor City before flourishing in Dodger blue.

Flaherty started five games for the Dodgers in the playoffs, and the results were not fantastic, as he allowed 18 earned runs in 2022 innings pitched. But he made a key contribution in the World Series, as he kept pace with Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in Game 1 to allow for Freddie Freeman's late-game heroics.

Now, Flaherty has waited as aces Max Fried and Corbin Burnes have gone off the market along with veteran legends like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, and he stands as the last legitimate option to fill a number two or three hole in a playoff caliber team's rotation.

Could that mean a reunion with the Tigers is in the offing? Reports suggest that Detroit is willing to extend its payroll beyond its current Spotrac projection of $112 million. This is evidenced by the club's continued involvement in the Alex Bregman sweepstakes.

But what if Bregman lands elsewhere? The Tigers will have a continued need to bolster their lineup, but would reuniting Flaherty with Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal not also be a worthy usage of those funds?

Last season showed beyond a doubt that the fit between the coaching staff, ballpark and organization as a whole with Flaherty is a good one, and there is a strong argument for building out what would immediately become one of the top rotations in the American League if Flaherty were to return.

Of course, like with Bregman, the Tigers will have competition if they choose to prioritize Flaherty as a target. The Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves are among the other teams in the league that could still be in search of a starter.