Tigers' rotation depth takes another hit with Flaherty

The Tigers placed Jack Flaherty on the 15-day injured list this week with right flexor inflammation, a fresh setback for a rotation that was already trying to stabilize itself down the stretch. The injury reportedly surfaced during his July 21 start at Wrigley Field, where he lasted just 4 innings and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks before exiting. Ty Madden got the call up from Triple-A Toledo to fill the roster spot.

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Tigers Place Jack Flaherty On Injured List t.co/ujsBwO00L0

This is the second IL trip of the season for the 30-year-old right-hander, who also missed time in mid-June with a peroneal strain. It's the kind of pattern that gnaws at a contender's margin for error, especially with the deadline bearing down and Detroit needing every reliable arm it can get.

Flaherty's presence in Detroit itself has been a bit of a saga. He signed a 2-year, $35 million deal with the Tigers before the 2025 season with a player opt-out built in after year one. Instead of testing free agency again, he triggered an escalator by making 31 starts in 2025, bumping his 2026 salary from $10 million to $20 million and locking him back in as the veteran arm behind the kids in Detroit's rotation.

The 2025 numbers weren't exactly a masterpiece, either. Flaherty led the American League in losses with 15 and saw his ERA balloon to 4.64 while serving up 23 home runs in 161 innings. So this latest IL stint doesn't just cost Detroit innings right now, it reopens the bigger question of whether the pricey veteran can hold up as a stabilizer or keeps being the rotation's biggest variable.

The Tigers reportedly believe the forearm issue is minor and are hopeful for another short absence rather than anything long-term. But with the trade deadline closing in, every start Flaherty misses puts more pressure on Detroit's front office to find pitching depth elsewhere, and it puts a dent in his fantasy and prop value at exactly the wrong time of year for anyone still rostering him.