Tigers Fans Emotional After Second Consecutive Rough Start by SP Jack Flaherty originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Detroit Tigers trailed the Tampa Bay Rays 8-1 early Saturday afternoon as manager AJ Hinch’s team appeared on the verge of going down two games in its three-game series with the AL rival Rays.
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The Rays continued to rack up runs after chasing starter Brant Hurter from the game and continuing to pile on reliever Sawyer Gipson-Long.
The game came one day after Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, the team’s big offseason addition from the Dodgers, was shellacked in a 14-8 loss and chased after 2.1 innings of work.
Flaherty’s two-game stat total was hard to believe and a bad look in comparison to his previous month, causing Tigers fans to react on X.
Jack Flaherty pitches on June 20 at George Steinbrenner Field against the Rays in Tampa Bay. © Mike Watters-Imagn Images
“Jack Flaherty has had BACK-TO-BACK 7 earned run starts,” The Detroit Times wrote on X.
“Absolutely terrible.”
Flaherty gave up eight runs on Friday against the Rays and seven runs last Saturday against the Reds, bringing his total to 16 runs given up this month in four starts.
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Flaherty gave up 15 runs in five starts during the month of May, showing the depth of his relative struggles in June so far.
“Has been bad,” one fan said.
“Time to trade him for more prospects,” another added.
“He looks like doesn’t even care on the mound,” another said.
“The Rory of baseball. Got the finale and then downhill,” another added on the World Series winning former Dodger.
“He wants to stay a Tiger,” another added. “Last time he pitched well for them they traded him,” they added in jest.
“Maybe skip a start and get it figured out,” another added.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.