Detroit Tigers Receive Harsh Superlative for MLB Trade Deadline
The Detroit Tigers were quite active ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline. They made four separate deals, accepting their fate of being sellers this year with an eye toward the future.
Two of those trades were made with the Texas Rangers, as left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin and catcher Carson Kelly were on the move. Outfielder/first baseman Mark Canha was traded to the San Francisco Giants.
But, the trade that garnered the most attention was centered around starting pitcher Jack Flaherty. He provided the Tigers with incredible value, signing a one-year deal this past offseason and producing as a frontline starter.
With Detroit, Flaherty made 18 starts, recording a record of 7-5. He had a stellar ERA of 2.95 with a WHIP of 0.956. In 106.2 innings, Flaherty has struck out 133 batters and is in the midst of arguably the best season of his career.
The veteran was the best starting pitcher on the move, as the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired him. In exchange, the Dodgers sent two prospects to Detroit; catcher Thayron Lirzano and shortstop Trey Sweeney.
It was a deal that many analysts weren’t very high on. One of those analysts was former MLB executive turned writer at The Athletic, Jim Bowden. In a recent piece, Bowden handed out superlatives for how the 2024 MLB trade deadline unfolded.
Bowden called the Flaherty deal the worst trade that was completed. The biggest reason for that was the return package, but he believes was just too light.
It is hard to argue against that, as the market for Flaherty was reportedly very strong. Virtually every team that was looking for an upgrade to their starting rotation was linked to the Tigers veteran.
Flaherty has said that he is healthy, but a back injury did prompt the New York Yankees to pull out of the trade sweepstakes. Could other teams have found issues with the medicals? It is certainly possible, which would lead to a lesser package.
The fact he was a rental could have played into the lackluster return package Detroit received. Flaherty is set to hit free agency again this winter and will be looking to cash in on a lucrative long-term deal.
Alas, trading away arguably the best major league player ahead of the deadline and receiving a package that pales in comparison to what the Toronto Blue Jays received for Yusei Kikuchi was surprising.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.