Flaherty, at his best, is a perfectly viable Game 2 starter. But his performance this season has fluctuated as wildly as it did for the Los Angeles Dodgers in last year’s playoffs, when he followed his two best starts with poor ones. He warrants only so much trust.
With the emerging Melton, Holton and perhaps Brant Hurter, who is currently on the injured list with back soreness at Triple A, the Tigers will not lack for bulk-inning candidates. Urquidy could be another. And with Tommy Kahnle seemingly coming out of a two-month slump, the rest of the ’pen should be in good shape.