The Detroit Tigers are closing in on their first postseason berth since 2014, sitting atop the American League standings as they look to wrap up the AL Central over the next few weeks.
But here’s the thing – while October baseball is within reach, Detroit’s got a pretty significant decision looming. Who starts Game 2 behind ace Tarik Skubal?
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Tigers have their guy in mind. It’s Jack Flaherty, and while it’s not exactly a perfect solution, he’s the best option they’ve got.
Rosenthal reports that among the three candidates – Flaherty, Casey Mize, and Charlie Morton – the right-hander who signed a two-year, $35 million deal with an opt-out last winter is the frontrunner.
“Flaherty, who returned to the team last offseason on a two-year, $35 million free-agent contract with an opt-out, almost certainly will be the team’s preference to start Game 2.”
Now, manager A.J. Hinch might not let Flaherty work deep into games – he’s pulled starters early plenty of times this season. But the Tigers are hoping their number-two guy can piece together solid outings when it matters most.
That’s where things get interesting.
Flaherty had a strong 2024 split between Detroit and the Dodgers during the regular season, but October was rough. He posted a 7.36 ERA across five postseason starts for Los Angeles, though they still captured the World Series.
This year hasn’t been much prettier. Flaherty’s sitting at a 4.74 ERA with a 7-13 record through 27 starts. The strikeout stuff is still there – 169 K’s in 142.1 innings – but the overall results have been inconsistent.
All things considered, those numbers make his role as Detroit’s playoff number-two less certain than the Tigers would prefer. Unless Mize or Morton catches fire down the stretch, though, Flaherty’s likely getting the ball after Skubal.
As Rosenthal puts it, Flaherty “warrants only so much trust.” That’s the reality Detroit’s working with – he’s got his struggles, but he’s still their best bet behind Skubal. Mize and Morton have had their own ups and downs, so there isn’t exactly a clear-cut, ideal choice waiting in the wings.
It’s not the postseason rotation depth championship teams usually rely on, but the Tigers are making it work with what they have. Sometimes that’s enough.
