The Detroit Tigers starting rotation has been a mess all year, and one of the biggest problems has been right-hander Jack Flaherty. The 30-year-old veteran signed a two-year, $35 million deal two winters ago to head back to Detroit for a second stint. He earned an All-Star campaign in 2024 during his first stint.
Unfortunately, it has been a disaster this time around and he has not found the same success.
This year, Flaherty owns a 1-7 record with a 5.31 ERA. The only bright spot is that he has 77 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings of work, so his stuff is still effective. He just has not been able to limit hard contact.
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Flaherty was off to a mediocre start in his 15th appearance of the year for Friday's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. Through the first three innings, he had allowed two runs on three hits with one strikeout.
However, when the fourth inning began, Flaherty was nowhere to be seen, which was troubling considering he had only thrown 63 pitches. Instead, Jacob Waguespack took over in relief.
Moments later, the Tigers announced the reason for his removal. "Jack Flaherty is undergoing evaluation after exiting the game due to left leg discomfort," the team wrote on X.
If Flaherty is forced to miss time, Keider Montero would likely get an extended look in the starting rotation. But it would just be another disappointing step backwards for Flaherty in his third year with the Tigers.
Detroit is heading toward being sellers at the trade deadline and Flaherty's performance is a big reason why. Further updates on his condition will be provided after the game when manager A.J. Hinch speaks with reporters.
