Why Jack Flaherty’s Injury Makes Tigers Trade Deadline Case to Buy, Not Sell

As the Detroit Tigers find ways to trim their deficit in the AL Central, losing Jack Flaherty shows that they must make a move if they want to win.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Detroit Tigers are trying to make their case that they should be a buyer at the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3.

Since June 1, when they were 11 games out of first place in the AL Central, the Tigers have trimmed the lead to as little as 4.5 games. They’re also within striking distance of the final AL Wild Card spot.

On Tuesday, the Tigers had to make a move they didn’t want to make. They placed starting pitcher Jack Flaherty on the 15-day injured list with right flexor inflammation. To replace him, the Tigers called up Ty Madden.

This is the second time he’s been on the injured list this season. That, plus his 3-8 record and 4.59 ERA has made him an unreliable member of the rotation. This would be a perfect time for Justin Verlander to return, but he’s not ready yet. Neither is young starter Jackson Jobe.

Flaherty’s unreliability may be a blessing of sorts. It’s clear the Tigers need starting pitching at the trade deadline. His latest injury confirms it and makes the case to add a starter the right one.

Tigers Should Trade For Starting Pitching Depth

Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Even if Flaherty is out for the minimum 15 days, he won’t be back until after the trade deadline. The rotation, for now, is Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, Casey Mize and Troy Melton. Mize has been on the IL twice this year. Skubal has been on the IL once. The rotation doesn’t have enough depth and there isn’t enough time to wait on the injured starters to return.

If president of baseball operations Scott Harris wants to push to contend — which means keeping Skubal — he’ll have to trade for pitching depth.

There is a silver lining. The Tigers have the minor league talent to make such a move and the market, for now, feels soft. The only meaningful move since the All-Star break was Colorado trading reliver Seth Halvorsen to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a couple of prospects.

Detroit can pursue nearly any pitcher it wants because of the minor league talent it has to trade. This doesn’t need to be a Chris Paddack kind of trade. The Tigers could make a move for a pitcher like the Los Angeles Angels’ Reid Detmers, who has two more years of team control and could help the Tigers beyond this season. Or, the Tigers could take a shot at the New York Mets’ Clay Holmes, who is about to come off the injured list after a broken leg.

The point is there are options if the Tigers want to seek starting pitching at the trade deadline and still take a shot at the playoffs. But they can’t count on Flaherty anymore. If they want to make run, Detroit must buy. His latest injury makes that clear.