Flaherty, Tigers reach 1-year deal, sources say
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
Right-hander Jack Flaherty and the Tigers are in agreement on a one-year, $14 million contract, sources told ESPN on Thursday, bringing another veteran arm to a Detroit team that’s hoping to contend in the AL Central next season.
The deal can max out at $15 million, with start-based bonuses of $250,000 for the 26th, $250,000 for the 28th and $500,000 for the 30th, sources said.
The 28-year-old Flaherty is coming off his most productive season in four years, logging 144.1 innings with a 4.99 ERA and 148 strikeouts between the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles after injuries hampered his previous three years. He hopes a move to Detroit will reinvigorate a career that looked destined for excellence in 2019, when he had what was widely considered to be a breakout season — in 33 starts for the Cardinals, the former first-round pick generated a 2.75 ERA, allowing only 135 hits in 196 1/3 innings and racking up 231 strikeouts.
Because of his remarkable athleticism — he was a third baseman as an amateur player, before he was drafted 34th overall by St. Louis in 2014 — rival evaluators assumed that he would build on that initial success and perhaps develop into one of the NL’s most dominant pitchers.
But those expectations were seemingly derailed during the COVID season of 2020. Early in the 60-game season, while the Cardinals were quarantined because of an outbreak, Flaherty got attention for throwing into a mattress in his room during that time. No one will ever know for sure whether Flaherty’s subsequent shoulder trouble was related to the unusual training situation, but injuries began to derail his seeming rise to stardom.
He made just nine starts in 2020, made only 26 appearances in 2021 and 2022, and his performance waned. With his velocity diminished in the early stages of 2023, Flaherty had a 4.43 ERA in 20 starts with the Cardinals, and with St. Louis out of contention, he was dealt to the Orioles and continued to struggle. Flaherty posted a 6.75 ERA in nine appearances with Baltimore. When the Orioles made the playoffs, Flaherty was shifted to a bullpen role.
The Tigers are betting on the 2019 version of Flaherty joining fellow free agent signing Kenta Maeda and incumbent starters Tarik Skubal, Reese Olson and Matt Manning in a rotation that also could have former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize, who is returning from Tommy John surgery.
The Tigers finished in second place in the AL Central at 78-84 last season, and with the ownership of the first-place Minnesota Twins cutting payroll, Detroit is targeting its first postseason bid since 2014.
The question that will hover over Flaherty as he moves forward is whether he can recover some of the excellence he showed early in his time with the Cardinals. The short-term nature of his new deal means that Flaherty has a chance to rebuild his value before testing the market again at a relatively young age.
He has had moments — particular starts, like in back-to-back scoreless starts against the New York Mets and Miami Marlins in July — in which he has demonstrated that he is still capable of overpowering hitters.
ESPN’s Buster Olney contributed to this report.
Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.
Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.
The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.
If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.
Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.
“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”
Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.
“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”
Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.
The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.
“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”
The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.
Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.
The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”
Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.
San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.
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