Look: Reunited Detroit Tigers Teammates Greet Each Other On Social Media
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The Detroit Tigers reportedly agreed to a two-year contract with starting pitcher Jack Flaherty on Sunday night.
The deal was reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, among other reporters. For those looking for an official announcement by the Tigers Sunday night were disappointed.
But, it’s not uncommon for deals to be agreed upon and then formally executed later. In baseball, the final hurdle is usually a physical. Even though Flaherty pitched for the Tigers last year, Detroit will likely want to give the medicals the once-over.
Most of the time, there are no issues and a formal announcement comes shortly after.
But Flaherty just couldn’t wait. Shortly after the report of the agreement, he went to social media, including X, and, in his own way, announced he was returning.
— Jack Flaherty (@jflare_) February 3, 2025
Yep, that’s Flaherty posting a GIF of, well, him in a Tigers uniform imploring the crowd for applause from last season.
If that wasn’t enough, well, shortly after, Detroit ace Tarik Skubal reposted it with an emoji of a salute.
— Tarik Skubal (@TarikSkubal) February 3, 2025
So, Skubal is on board, and he said as much when he received his Cy Young at the Baseball Writers Association of America awards dinner earlier this year.
"If there's a guy I want on the mound that's not me, I want him,” he said to Foul Territory.
Well, wish granted.
Flaherty is returning on a reported two-year deal worth $35 million, with an opt-out after the 2025 season. This is the type of contract he expressed an openness to last month after he and his agent failed to find a long-term contract.
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 Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had a 3.17 ERA, with 194 strikeouts and 38 walks in 162 innings.
He returns to Detroit with a World Series ring as a result of joining Los Angeles for the second half of the season. He’s also joining a much better Tigers team, one that turned things around after he left.
The Tigers turned things around in historic fashion, making the playoffs for the first time in a decade and advancing to the AL Division Series.
This now positions the Tigers rotation to lead off with Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, then Flaherty, free agent signing Alex Cobb and rookie Jackson Jobe, the Tigers’ No. 1 prospect who made his MLB debut in September.
Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers Major League Baseball for OnSI. He also covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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