After enduring three months in the uncertainty of free agency, former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty has finally secured a new contract.
The former Cardinals ace has found a new home after what must have felt like an endless wait on the free-agent market. Flaherty, who remained unsigned longer than expected, officially agreed to a deal on February 2.
Following a 2024 World Series victory with his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers, Flaherty is returning to the Detroit Tigers on a two-year, $35 million contract, which includes an opt-out after the first season.
Flaherty experienced a resurgence in 2024, posting a 3.17 ERA over 162 innings between the Tigers and Dodgers. His tenure with the Cardinals was often marred by injuries, and he was ultimately traded to the Baltimore Orioles at the 2023 trade deadline in exchange for three prospects. After struggling in Baltimore, he signed with the Tigers before being dealt to the Dodgers for their postseason push.
While Flaherty’s new contract doesn’t offer the long-term security or lucrative payday he may have hoped for, it falls short of the deals secured by other free-agent pitchers. Sean Manaea and Nathan Eovaldi each landed three-year, $75 million contracts with the Mets and Rangers, respectively, while Yusei Kikuchi signed a three-year, $63 million deal with the Angels.
At just 29 years old, Flaherty was the youngest of the 15 starting pitchers featured on The Athletic’s free-agent “Big Board” at the start of the offseason. However, teams likely wanted to see another fully healthy season before committing to him long-term. FanGraphs also speculated that his relatively average fastball may have contributed to the lack of demand.
During his time in St. Louis, Flaherty’s outspoken personality and social media presence didn’t always sit well with Cardinals fans. His frequent injuries only added to their frustration, especially given the superstar potential he displayed during his dominant 2019 second half.
If Flaherty can put his injury history behind him and deliver another strong season in Detroit, his contract could prove to be a steal, and the Tigers may consider a long-term extension. In St. Louis, however, he will likely remain a reminder of what could have been had he stayed healthy.
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