Former Detroit Tigers Starting Pitcher Ranked Among Best Free Agents Available
The Detroit Tigers are one of many teams that are going to be in the market for starting pitching help this offseason.
Could they turn to a familiar face to fill that void?
Jack Flaherty, who signed a one-year deal with the Tigers last offseason, got off to a stellar start in 2024. Across 18 starts and 106.2 innings, he recorded a 2.95 ERA with 133 strikeouts.
An impending free agent and with the team not in the playoff race by the time the trade deadline rolled around, Flaherty was moved. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired him in exchange for shortstop Trey Sweeney and catcher Thayron Liranzo.
While not as dominant with the Dodgers as he was in Detroit, Flaherty still did more than enough to boost his resume heading into free agency. In the regular season he made 10 starts, throwing 55.1 innings with a 3.58 ERA to go along with 61 strikeouts.
He now also has a World Series ring on his resume, as he helped Los Angeles defeat the New York Yankees in five games.
That is about as perfect of an outcome as a player who signed a one-year deal could have. Flaherty has set himself up for quite a payday this winter.
Just how sought after will he be?
Over at The Athletic, their group of MLB experts each compiled free agency rankings. They were combined to create one big board and Flaherty came in at No. 10.
“The peripherals are really where Flaherty shined. Among free-agent starters, he owns the best strikeout-to-walk ratio and the second-best strikeout rate (behind Blake Snell). Plus, he’s the only starter hitting free agency while still in his 20s — another perk of sticking to a one-year deal last winter.”
Keith Law had the highest individual ranking for Flaherty, placing him at No. 8. His lowest ranking came courtesy of Jim Bowden, putting him in the No. 13 spot. Tim Britton and Chad Jennings both had the righty at No. 11 with Aaron Gleeman placing him 10.
The only pitchers ahead of him on the list are Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes, international import Roki Sasaki, Atlanta Braves All-Star Max Fried and San Francisco Giants ace Blake Snell. They come in at Nos. 2-5.
He has been projected to sign a four-year, $92 million deal; quite a raise after signing a one-year, $14 million contract with the Tigers last year. The best fits listed are the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels.
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.