Tigers Ace Looking to Change Narrative After Disappointing 2025 Season

The Detroit Tigers need a bounce-back from this starting pitcher.

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Often when a player signs a multi-year deal with a team, it's expected to get instant results. For players that don't deliver, pressure builds to make that contract worth it.

The Detroit Tigers have already dealt with this situation around Javier Baez. He struggled mightily in his first few seasons in Detroit, before finally turning a corner in 2025 and earning an All-Star nod.

Now they hope to see a similar result with starting pitcher Jack Flaherty. After a strong season in 2024 with the Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers, he cashed in a two-year deal with the Tigers. There was an opt-out at the end of the '25 season, but Flaherty will return for another year.

Jack Flaherty Could be Primed for a Bounce-Back Season

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Thomas Harigan of mlb.com highlighted nine free agent deals that could still pay off after an underwhelming first year. Flaherty was one of the nine players. Harigan writes, "Whether Tarik Skubal is traded or not, Detroit is going to need Flaherty to play a key role as one of its top starters."

It's a lot of pressure for the veteran, but it's the simple reality for the Tigers. After Skubal and Flaherty, the remaining options in the rotation are Casey Mize, Reese Olson and Drew Anderson. Detroit is in their "win now" window and they don't have time to wait around for Flaherty to figure it out.

He started to string together solid starts at the end of the regular season. Across four starts in the month of September, he posted a 3.86 ERA. His best outing came in August where he threw seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits with nine strikeouts against the Houston Astros.

He made three outings in the playoffs, allowing four earned runs across 10 innings. With all that said, Flaherty finished the 2025 season on a solid note which leaves optimism as he prepares for his 10th season in the big leagues. He will make $20 million next season, further adding to the hope that he can deliver.

Detroit found themselves with a lot of financial flexibility, but have been relatively quiet this offseason. They bolstered the bullpen with the addition of Kenley Jansen and Kyle Finnegan re-signing. Anderson was the other outside free agent they brought in, while Flaherty and Gleyber Torres opted in for next year.

The Tigers have a young roster but are still expected to compete with the American League's best. According to fangraphs.com, the projection for Flaherty in 2026 is 29 starts with a 3.91 ERA. They project a 10-10 record with 165.2 IP and 179 strikeouts. It would be an improvement across the board, and Detroit could be dangerous next season if Flaherty bounces back.

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