Jack

Flaherty

The two earned runs scored on Flaherty’s own error when he fielded a bunt attempt and had Caleb Durbin dead to rights between third base and home plate before throwing the ball away. Flaherty struggled with command all day, throwing just 56 percent of his pitches for strikes. He was also down two mph on almost all of his pitches. He did produce a 37 percent whiff rate, and some of the command and velocity issues could be connected to the 11 AM start as part of Marathon Monday. The 30-year-old has 20 walks in 23 innings this season and is not a recommended start next week in Cincinnati.

Flaherty gave up two hits, walked three and struck out seven. His velocity was down in his previous two starts, but he was back up to 93.7 mph with his fastball tonight. Control still seems like a concern, though. He was credited with strikes on just 53 of 97 pitches tonight, and he has a walk rate of 16 percent through four turns. He’ll be quite the risky play in mixed leagues next week with starts in Boston and Cincinnati.

Flaherty allowed eight hard-hit balls and walked three, so he probably deserved a few more runs on the ledger. He was outdueled by Mick Abel in a game that eventually went down to the bullpens. Still, it’s good to see him battling his ERA down below six. Flaherty will be a fringe 12-team starter next week against the Royals.

Flaherty continues to struggle throwing strikes and working through opposing lineups a third time. He was all over the place against his former team in this one, throwing just 47 of 86 pitches for strikes while handing out four walks and hitting three batters. He finished with six strikeouts but was unable to complete five frames against an underwhelming Cardinals lineup. He’ll bring a lackluster 7.56 ERA into a road tilt against the Twins on Thursday afternoon.

Flaherty had significant issues with finding the strike zone, as just 49-of-89 pitches landing for strikes, and he walked four before leaving. The right-hander was hurt by his defense with an error allowing one run to score, but it’s more than fair to say that Flaherty didn’t have his best stuff in his first outing of 2026. A chance to bounce back comes Saturday against the Cardinals.

Troy Johnson and TJ Rumfield homered off him. Flaherty ends the spring with a 7.92 ERA, having given up four homers in 12 2/3 innings. It doesn’t mean all that much, but it doesn’t make him look like any better of bet for a 2026 after he was already a well below average starter last year.

Tarik Skubal will pitch on opening day against the Padres in San Diego. He’ll be followed by Valdez and Jack Flaherty. Justin Verlander will then open their series against the Diamondbacks in Arizona on March 30 and he’ll be followed by Casey Mize. Despite the injuries to Reese Olson and Troy Melton, this is perhaps the strongest starting rotation that we have seen the Tigers field in the past decade which has to make them the favorites in the American League Central.

He struck out three and walked one on the day while posting a 22 percent whiff rate and 24 percent CSW. As per usual, most of his success was thanks to his slider, which had a 56 percent whiff rate. He threw enough strikes, but his fastball got hit hard, and the ceiling for Flaherty seems low for fantasy outside of deeper formats.

Flaherty had a 37% CSW and allowed just one hard-hit ball today, and he’s now struck out eight in five innings on the spring. The 30-year-old is looking for a bounce-back season after going 8-15 with a 4.64 ERA last year and then exercising a $20 million player option to remain with the Tigers.

Flaherty was mad that one his strike threes was challenged by Phillies minor leaguer Dylan Campbell and said something about it. It didn’t seem entirely appropriate, but the pitch was a clear strike, and it was really Campbell’s team that should have been upset with him. Flaherty has allowed two runs in three innings to open the spring.