Jack Flaherty is starting to look like the kind of arm that could draw interest if the Tigers decide to sell, and Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly has already put the 30-year-old right-hander in the “buy low” conversation.
Detroit’s rotation has bigger names attached to it at the deadline, with Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize drawing the most attention. Gleyber Torres is another intriguing chip. But if the Tigers do make pieces available, Flaherty could be one of the more realistic rentals on the board.
Kelly pointed to the uneven nature of Flaherty’s recent work in making the case.
"Jack Flaherty's second stint with the Tigers has been underwhelming," Kelly writes. "...
Perhaps if a team trades for Flaherty, he'll struggle the way he did after being acquired by the Orioles in 2023, when he went 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA over 34.2 innings. Alternatively, Flaherty could have the impact he had for the Dodgers in 2024, when he went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 10 starts for a team he eventually helped win the World Series.
The 30-year-old is worth taking a shot on."
That’s the gamble with Flaherty. Clubs could look at the 2023 stretch after Baltimore acquired him and see a warning sign. Or they could look at what he did for the Dodgers in 2024 and see a starter who can help a contender.
This season, Flaherty has worked 18 starts and carries a 4.48 ERA with a 3-8 record. His latest outing was a better sign, though: he went 6.0 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowed two runs, struck out six and earned the win.
Detroit may not even end up in sell mode. The Tigers have been on a hot streak, and the weak AL gives them a path to the postseason. Still, if they do move players, Flaherty makes sense as a name to watch.
For a team willing to bet on a veteran starter with some volatility, he could be a sneaky pickup. And for Detroit, even a modest return for Flaherty would count as a win.
In Other News...
Tigers First Round Track Record Looks Very Different Than Fans Think
The Tigers first-round draft story has not followed the tidy script many fans might assume when they hear about a wave of premium picks. A look back from 2022 through 2025 shows a front office that has mixed upside, patience and a few uncomfortable questions, with Jordan Yost, Bryce Rainer, Max Clark and Jace Jung all sitting at very different points on the development curve. Some are still climbing through the minors, some have already reached the majors, and the overall picture is less about one clean success story than a collection of separate bets still being sorted out.
Jordan Yost, the clubs 2025 first-rounder, is already drawing a C+ grade and leaving observers to wonder what Detroit sees in him. Clark remains in Triple-A, where the Tigers want him to keep developing while also preserving his PPI eligibility for 2027, even as the big-league temptation grows louder. And with the 2026 MLB Draft approaching, Detroit will have four picks after forfeiting its third-round selection by signing Framber Valdez, a reminder that the pipeline is still being shaped not just by who the Tigers choose, but by the roster decisions that come before the draft board ever turns. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Just Took Another Bullpen Flier Fans Will Want To Track
The Tigers added another arm to the bullpen mix by claiming right-hander Andre Granillo off waivers from the Nationals and sending him to Triple-A. It is the sort of low-risk move Detroit has made plenty of times as it keeps searching for usable pitching depth, and Granillo brings a little more intrigue than the usual waiver pickup because he has already reached the majors this season and now occupies a spot on the 40-man roster.
Granillo also arrives with some real pedigree, having once been considered a notable Cardinals prospect before St. Louis moved him to Washington earlier this year. The immediate assignment to Triple-A suggests the Tigers want to see more before giving him a longer look, but his track record and the fact that he has already opened this season in the big leagues make him one of those names worth following if Detroit needs another bullpen option later on. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Are Rolling And This Phillies Win Changed The Feeling Fast
The Tigers wasted no time turning a tight game into a loud one Friday night at Comerica Park, burying the Phillies 10-2 in the opener of a three-game series. Detroits offense broke through in a big sixth inning, then kept stacking on runs in the seventh, with Eduardo Valencia, Zach McKinstry, James Outman, Colt Keith and Spencer Torkelson all part of the surge that changed the tone fast.
Jack Flaherty helped set the stage by giving Detroit six innings and allowing two runs, giving the club another steady start to lean on as the lineup came alive behind him. The bigger question now is whether this was just one of those nights where everything clicked, or another sign that the Tigers are starting to look a lot more dangerous when a game gets into the middle innings. [Read more 🡒]