The Detroit Tigers and Jack Flaherty wanted the same thing—to continue what they started. But when the Los Angeles Dodgers came calling at the trade deadline last summer, the Tigers couldn’t refuse their sweet offer; they parted ways, and LA sent their top prospects, Trey Sweeney and Thayron Liranzo, to Detroit in exchange. It was necessary, as their president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, had explained, “Staring at that, it was a move we had to do.”

At that time, no one would have predicted how things would come full circle. Now, Flaherty has returned to the Tigers with a two-year, $35 million deal for a year, marking a $25 million contract with an opt-out, allowing him to re-enter free agency very quickly. This reunion is a major boost for the franchise, not just because it adds firepower but also reinforces a bigger message—Detroit is a destination for top players—that’s what Harris confirmed about the much-needed Flaherty homecoming.

Jack Flaherty’s return signals a shift for the Detroit Tigers

Harris mentioned,

“Our pitching staff is a lot better today than yesterday because we have Jack Flaherty as part of it.” And there is no lie. Flaherty, during his first stint with the Tigers, posted a 2.95 ERA and one of the league’s best strikeout-to-walk ratios. His dominance perfectly went with Tarik Skubal, who went on to win the AL pitching Triple Crown. Now with both arms, the Tigers lineup is a no-brainer. But even beyond that, Flaherty’s return shows that the Tigers are building a culture that appeals to the superstar players.

Harris talking in MLB mentioned. “He had no connection to Detroit before last year. But he really enjoyed his time here and wanted to come back. That’s a huge compliment to everyone who worked hard behind the scenes to make his experience a good one.” Now Flaherty’s stint with LA did end up flimsy with a dip. However, the Detroit Tigers are not concerned.

Harris mentioned that with slight mechanism changes, Jack Flaherty can adapt well. “We’ve already started working on it with him, and we expect him to be his old self when he gets to Lakeland.” Spring training is right around the corner, and when they reach there this time, they will have one of the stellar pitching staffs. But one thing is for sure: they proved that for a team, acquiring talent is not everything; creating an environment where players want to be is more crucial.

Tigers’ Bregman pursuit stalls; do they have another backup?

Now the Detroit Tigers are heavily linked to Alex Bregman. And as everyone knows, the former Houston Astros player is still on the market. Thanks to his strict demands, which right now almost no teams seem to agree to. But he has been linked heavily also because a move could reunite Bregman with A.J. Hinch. But with Bregman’s market still at a standstill, there is no guarantee that Detroit will end up landing him. Tigers need a backup plan, and now!

Enter Justin Turner. Chad Jennings of the Athletic floated around the idea of Detroit signing the veteran slugger in case the Bregman deal falls through. Yes, Turner’s power dipped last season, with just 11 home runs compared to 23 the previous year. But he still manages to bring that right-handed pop and also experience. “Gleyber Torres and Matt Vierling are their only everyday righties—and Turner could play first base and DH while letting manager A.J. Hinch mix and match with lefty hitters Kerry Carpenter, Colt Keith, and Jace Jung. Turner would also give the Tigers a massive clubhouse presence as they try to build on last season’s breakout,” Jennings mentioned.

At 40, Turner isn’t the power threat but a proven leader. He also would come at a fraction of the cost of Bregman. The Tigers reached the ALDS last season before falling to the Cleveland Guardians. They have a young core now and are looking for such veteran players to push them further. Do you think Turner could be what Detroit needs? Let us know your thoughts.