In 2019, Jack Flaherty looked like the future ace of the St. Louis Cardinals. Flaherty finished the season pitching to a 2.75 ERA in workhorse fashion having pitched what is still a career-high 196.1 innings. Unfortunately, things would only trend downhill from there.
Injuries would quickly derail his career and subsequent struggles would just as rapidly erode his lofty expectations. It wasn’t until 2024 that we got to see Flaherty both healthy and on top of his game since his fall from notoriety. In 162 innings with the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers, Flaherty threw to a much-welcomed 3.17 ERA and collected his first World Series ring.
After this resurgent performance, the Tigers decided to bring him back to Detroit on a two-year, $35 million deal ($10 million player option for 2026, $25 million this year). Unfortunately, Flaherty has regressed to the point where he is now testing the Tigers’ patience.
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Tigers move Flaherty’s start back to face a more docile opponent
In his second stint with Detroit, Flaherty owns a 4.44 ERA, definitely not what the Tigers paid for. His 2-5 record is the worst for any starter on the team. His main pitch, a four-seam fastball that held hitters to a .245 batting average last season, has been battered to the tune of a .308 batting average this season. In contrast to last year’s dominance, his fastball velocity has decreased and he has allowed walks at a higher rate.
The Tigers are currently holding on to the best record in baseball, standing at 31-17 entering Tuesday. With Flaherty’s struggles weighing on the rotation, manager AJ Hinch decided to push his next start back a game, from facing a dangerous Cardinals’ offense on Wednesday to facing a more manageable Guardians’ lineup on Thursday. Instead, the Tigers have opted for pitching a bullpen game on Wednesday.
Given their first place standing in the AL Central is in danger of being surmounted by a surprisingly competitive Twins’ team, the Tigers have little room for error if they are to take the division for the first time since 2014. And if Flaherty’s struggles should continue, one could only speculate on his role in the postseason.