The Detroit Tigers enter the offseason and find themselves at a little bit of a crossroads in terms of how aggressive they want to get in free agency and the trade market to make improvements for next season.
After falling in the same spot two years in a row in the playoffs despite appearing like a legitimate contender for large portions of 2025, it’s time for Detroit to take the next step and figure out how to get over that hump.
Trade-wise, most of the noise so far has, of course, revolved around now repeat American League Cy Young ace Tarik Skubal, but perhaps the Tigers could look to deal someone else from within their starting rotation.
In a recent article naming the most likely trade candidate for every team in baseball, the name used by Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report for Detroit was right-hander Jack Flaherty, who recently accepted a $20 million player option for 2026.
Jack Flaherty Named Tigers Most Likely Trade Candidate
Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) throws against Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, September 5, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Not only would moving Flaherty save some coin, but it also better enables them to use 2026 to find out which pitchers they can count upon for 2027 and beyond,” Miller wrote after highlighting some of the financials. “But that hinges to some extent on how confident they are in Reese Olson, Ty Madden and Keider Montero being both healthy and part of the starting rotation mix heading into next season.”
As Miller pointed out, Flaherty plus Gleyber Torres accepting his qualifying offer along with the contract for Javier Baez and likely arbitration number for Skubal makes four players making $20 million or more this upcoming season.
Flaherty coming back could hamstring Detroit’s ability to sign other free agents by tying up $20 million into what was essentially at least this year a middle of the rotation starter in the right-hander.
Do Tigers Have Enough Depth to Entertain Trading Flaherty?
Oct 2, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) is relieved by manager A.J. Hinch (14) in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians during game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Though $20 million may be more than Detroit wants to spend on a pitcher who had a 4.64 ERA and an American League leading 15 losses this past season, Flaherty was one of the rare dependable arms on the team who made a full slate of starts.
A willingness to deal him would have to come along with the caveat of making multiple legitimate adds in the rotation, otherwise the Tigers are banking on Reese Olson returning healthy and potentially a contribution next year from rookie Jackson Jobe after his Tommy John surgery.
The financial aspect makes sense for wanting to unload here, but if Detroit is going to keep Skubal and try to win in 2026, it would be tough to justify selling off Flaherty just to save a little bit of cash.
If a team is willing to give the Tigers a huge return, it’s worth considering for the flexibility getting Flaherty’s $20 million off the books would provide, but they also must ask themselves if they can replicate what he brings with the savings.
If not, it would likely be more worth it for Detroit to hang onto him. If Scott Harris thinks he can field multiple solid starters for that $20 million though while also netting a solid prospect return in a trade, it would absolutely be worth it.
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