CLEVELAND — Jack Flaherty has been through this before. He’s heard all the chatter and the noise. He has lived with the anxieties of factors outside his control and did his best to manage the constant uncertainty. Flaherty was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Baltimore Orioles at last season’s trade deadline, a business reality but also a life-altering event for any player.
“I don’t think I handled it very well last year,” Flaherty said Wednesday evening after a start against the Cleveland Guardians.
Here Flaherty is a year later. So much has changed. Rather than a struggling pitcher chasing the form of his past self, he is now a resurgent starter for the Detroit Tigers with a sub-3 ERA and one of the best strikeout rates in the game.
And yet some things remain the same. The Tuesday trade deadline is fast approaching. Flaherty is again the subject of rumors and speculation. The uncertainty may still be difficult to deal with. But Flaherty has approached the trade situation the way he has approached most everything this year — from a place of calmness and peace.
“I’ve had experience one time going through it,” he said. “You get your name thrown around in a bunch of different scenarios, and I’m just in a better place mentally this year than I was last year. So I’ve just done a much better job of taking it one day at a time.”
Despite the endless gossip around teammate Tarik Skubal, Flaherty remains the Tigers’ most likely trade candidate with less than a week to go before the deadline. Based on multiple conversations around the team this week, Detroit is not likely to trade Skubal at this season’s deadline. The Tigers will of course listen to conversations, but it would take a massive haul of young players from an opponent for the Tigers to truly entertain such a deal.
In the case of Flaherty, a trade is more likely. But the Tigers may still enter the days leading up to the deadline with a high price tag based on the fact Flaherty is eligible to receive a qualifying offer after the season. The Tigers will weigh any potential return against the value of the Competitive Balance Round A draft pick they would receive if Flaherty were to reject the qualifying offer and sign a contract worth at least $50 million.
The qualifying offer complicates the discussions around what would be a fair return for Flaherty. At last season’s trade deadline, the Cardinals received three prospects (right-hander Tekoah Roby, infielder Thomas Saggese and left-hander John King) from the Texas Rangers in exchange for lefty starter Jordan Montgomery and relief pitcher Chris Stratton. Montgomery, who would have been eligible for a qualifying offer from the Cardinals, had a more consistent recent track record than Flaherty but was not pitching at quite the level Flaherty has this season.
We hear from starter Jack Flaherty, who went 6.0 innings, allowing zero earned runs, three hits, and six strikeouts in the Tigers’ 2-1 loss to the Guardians. #RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/aQK4iEfzzF
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) July 25, 2024
With Flaherty, there are more complicating factors at hand. The Tigers’ recent hot stretch — they are 12-7 in July — has done little to alter the front office’s mindset entering the deadline. They are not going to be buyers. But the fact that the Tigers are down to three starting pitchers with Casey Mize and Reese Olson injured and no substantial depth in Triple A means the Tigers do have to consider what their second half is going to look like. Regardless of whether they trade Flaherty, they may have to look into a waiver claim or another creative acquisition just to eat innings in August.
Flaherty also missed a start in early July after receiving a second injection for back soreness, an issue Flaherty also dealt with last season. So far Flaherty has responded remarkably well, throwing 17 2/3 innings and allowing only three earned runs since. He pitched six strong innings Wednesday in Cleveland. The back issue, though, is something to be aware of both for potential suitors and the Tigers. If they chose not to trade him and offered him a one-year qualifying offer projected to be north of $20 million, they would have to be confident in his longer-term health.
Although trade season has so far been quiet around the league, Tigers executives have already been fielding ample calls on players. In a market relatively short on starting pitching, there is obvious interest in Skubal and Flaherty. There have been inquiries regarding catcher Carson Kelly. It will also be interesting to see how much of a market materializes for Mark Canha and Gio Urshela, Detroit’s two veteran hitters on expiring contracts. Despite a rough first half, Canha still has a .338 on-base percentage and could help a team such as the Seattle Mariners in need of offense. Andrew Chafin and Shelby Miller have team options for next season and are thus natural trade candidates.
The Tigers have fielded interest regarding other players. The likes of infielder Andy Ibáñez and controllable relievers such as Jason Foley and Will Vest could have appeal to contenders. But the Tigers also seem unlikely to move their more controllable pieces unless an offer is simply too good to refuse.
So that is where the Tigers stand days before the trade deadline. Flaherty is their best trade asset. Other players on expiring deals could move in smaller deals. If an opponent wants Skubal, it will have to come with an offer so good that the Tigers can’t refuse.
Wednesday night in Cleveland, Flaherty stood at his locker, well aware of all the realities but doing his best to block out the commotion for a few more days. He is scheduled to start Monday, the day before the deadline. It’s also entirely possible he has already made his last start as a member of the Tigers.
“It’s only July, and I’ll have another start in July,” Flaherty said. “Still have another two months-plus of this season left. Still a lot of work to be done.”
(Photo of Jack Flaherty: Jason Miller / Getty Images)
