MLB Insider: What the Jack Flaherty signing means for Tarik Skubal, Alex Bregman, Tigers

As he lingered in free agency, as he sought a long-term contract, free-agent right-hander Jack Flaherty remained a possibility for the Detroit Tigers.

Flaherty, 29, had pitched with the Tigers for the first half of the 2024 season. A bounce back season was critical to regain his value before he became a free agent, and he delivered. In 18 starts in Detroit, he posted a 2.95 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 106.2 innings. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in an eleventh hour trade deadline move and in 55.1 regular season innings, he posted a 3.58 ERA and 61 strikeouts.

Flaherty made critical starts for the Dodgers in the postseason and was a primary reason the franchise won the World Series.

In free agency, the right-hander did not get the long-term interest that he expected. So while he remained unsigned, he became more open to a short-term contract, and that paved the way for Flaherty to reach an agreement to return to Detroit on a two-year, $35 million contract that includes an opt out after the first season.

The details of Flaherty’s contract are as follows, according to sources: he will earn $25 million this year. The guaranteed salary in 2026 is $10 million, and can get as high as $20 million if he starts 15 games this season.

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So what does this mean for Jack Flaherty and Tarik Skubal going forward?

For their long-term futures, nothing. Flaherty will pitch in 2025 and if he pitches to the level that he did in 2025, he will surely opt out of his contract to become a free agent again. The only thing possibly working against Flaherty, however, is that he could be subject to the qualifying offer.

Skubal is not a free agent until 2027, and he is incredibly unlikely to sign an extension as his agent, Scott Boras, prefers to have players establish their values on the open market. The Flaherty signing does not mean that a Skubal trade is happening or more likely; at the trade deadline, the Tigers made it very clear that the superstar left-hander was not available.

What the Flaherty signing does indicate, however, is that the Tigers are serious about winning. They showed strong signs of being a blooming contender in 2024 and have added Flaherty, Gleyber Torres and Tommy Kahnle in free agency. They also loom as a threat for Alex Bregman in free agency.

Flaherty was just another piece of the puzzle for the Tigers. It underscores that they're serious about winning in 2025 and beyond – and in a baseball world that features few teams willing to spend to contend, it’s a refreshing and needed development.