Tigers have no excuse to end offseason without star after Jack Flaherty’s revised ask
The Detroit Tigers entered the offseason with tons of momentum following their unlikely run to Game 5 of the ALDS. They showed lots of promise, led by the likes of Tarik Skubal, Riley Greene, and Kerry Carpenter, and seemingly had a path toward being one of the best teams in the AL in 2025 by making a couple of major offseason additions. Unfortunately, things have been rather quiet in the Motor City.
The Tigers have signed veterans Alex Cobb, Gleyber Torres, and Tommy Kahnle to one-year deals, but those are far from the marquee names Tigers fans were hoping for. No Tigers fan realistically thought that Juan Soto was a possibility, but it still would've been nice to have seen Scott Harris and Co. splurge on at least one major free agent.
With most of the needle-movers off the board, the Tigers' last hope now lies with players like Alex Bregman and Jack Flaherty. With the way things are shaking up, especially with Flaherty's reportedly revised ask, there's no excuse for Detroit to not land one of those two stars.
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Tigers have no excuse to miss out on star FAs considering their lackluster offseason
The Tigers seem destined to get at least one more veteran for their roster. They've talked to Alex Bregman, who could be a primary choice, and if that doesn't work out, they could turn to Jack Flaherty, a pitcher they value. Teams say that Flaherty's camp has moved from long-term…
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 2, 2025
ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Tigers seem destined to land at least one more veteran for their roster. Bregman is probably their primary choice, but Flaherty's asking price has gone down from seeking a long-term deal to something short-term. Given that, there's no real excuse to not land one of those two players.
Their first priority should be Bregman for several reasons. They could use his right-handed bat, his leadership, and he's simply a better player than Flaherty. However, it does take two to tango, and Bregman appears to have several interested suitors. Would anyone really fault him for re-signing with the Houston Astros even if a team like the Tigers offered him more money?
On the flip side, Flaherty is a player who has received little public interest in the open market, is now open to a short-term deal, and has already had success with this Tigers team. He also spoke glowingly about his experience in Detroit. The right-hander posted a 2.95 ERA in 18 starts with the Tigers this past season before getting traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline.
Flaherty didn't beg to come back to Detroit, but he'd very obviously sign back there if the Tigers stepped up with an offer he deemed good enough. If Bregman isn't happening, the Tigers must end up with Flaherty to ensure their offseason isn't a complete failure.
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