With just a couple of weeks remaining before the MLB trade deadline, the Detroit Tigers reportedly have one of the best trade assets on the market. Teams such as the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles are expected to express interest.
Heading into today’s MLB games, Detroit is seven games out of the final Wild Card spot and twice as many behind in the American League Central. While many teams are striving to become playoff contenders, the Tigers appear to be one of the most evident sellers before the July 30 trade deadline.
Last season, the Tigers successfully traded starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen to the Philadelphia Phillies for second baseman Hao-Yu Lee, who is now one of the best players in Double-A for the Tigers. The organization seems ready to convert another one-year rental into a valuable minor-league return.
According to The Athletic’s MLB insiders Ken Rosenthal, Katie Woo, and Patrick Mooney, returning pitcher Jack Flaherty could quickly become “one of the most coveted starters leading into the deadline.” The 28-year-old must first demonstrate he is fully recovered from his recent injury, but in a weak starting pitching market, he could attract many suitors before July 30.
The report highlights Flaherty’s impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio, which ranks among the best in baseball. With a 3.24 ERA, he would have been a serious All-Star contender if not for a pair of missed starts this season.
Flaherty is set to become a free agent after this season, and the eight-year veteran is likely to come at a lower cost than bigger names on the block, such as Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet and Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer.
Teams like the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles are expected to be interested. The Orioles have the prospects to make any trade but are likely to seek a starter at the right price for the stretch run, putting them in direct competition with the Yankees and Dodgers—two other teams reportedly on the hunt for starters.
However, the Detroit Tigers’ talented pitcher struggled as a second-half rental in Baltimore last season, disappointing in their pursuit of the AL East title.