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.
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