Jack Flaherty’s time with the Los Angeles Dodgers has officially come to an end. After winning the 2024 World Series, there was speculation he might return for another season, but that is now off the table as he has signed a two-year deal with another team.
According to Jeff Passan, Flaherty has reached an agreement with the Detroit Tigers on a two-year, $35 million contract. The deal guarantees him $25 million in the first year and includes an opt-out option if he chooses to exercise it.
It’s worth remembering that Flaherty played for the Tigers during the 2024 MLB season before being traded to the Dodgers. In that trade, the Detroit team received two minor league prospects, Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney.
During his short stint with the Dodgers, Flaherty posted a 6-2 record over 10 games, pitching 55.1 innings with a 3.58 ERA. He allowed 52 hits, 23 runs, 9 home runs, and 22 RBIs. Overall, he appeared in 28 games in 2024 with both the Tigers and Dodgers.
Why Did Flaherty Have So Few Games in 2024?
Typically, Flaherty plays fewer than 35 games in a season. Nowadays, he works as a closer, although he can still handle the role of a reliever. The 28 games he played in 2024 mark the second time he’s reached that number in a MLB season; the first was in 2018 with the Cardinals.
The Tigers Want to Improve
Obviously, the Tigers are keen on bringing Flaherty back because they know that with him, now as a World Series champion, things could improve for their starting rotation, which needs good relievers and closers to try to reach the playoffs again, as they did last season when they finished with 86 wins and 76 losses, securing a spot in the Wild Card games.