Scott Harris looks like genius for how Detroit Tigers handled Jack Flaherty situation

Flaherty returning to Detroit, per reports

TORONTO, ON - JULY 19: Jack Flaherty #9 of the Detroit Tigers delivers a pitch during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 19, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) (Vaughn Ridley, 2024 Vaughn Ridley)

DETROIT – Detroit Tigers president Scott Harris looks like a genius for how the entire Jack Flaherty situation played out.

Multiple reports surfaced overnight that the Tigers have agreed to what essentially amounts to a one-year, $25 million deal to bring Flaherty back to Detroit.

This reunion comes six months after the Tigers traded Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a pair of prospects.

And although I didn’t like the prospect return initially, there’s no denying that Harris handled this situation better than anyone could have imagined.

Last year at the trade deadline, the Tigers were fading from contention and sent Flaherty -- a three-month rental at the time -- to Los Angeles for Triple-A shortstop Trey Sweeney and catching prospect Thayron Liranzo.

We all remember what happened after the trade. Detroit proceeded to go on a historic run and earn the American League’s final wildcard spot, partially thanks to Sweeney’s contributions at shortstop.

He hit just .218 with a .642 OPS, but Sweeney came through with timely swings and also played very good defense. At the very least, he was a major upgrade over the Tigers' other options.

Meanwhile, down in High-A West Michigan, Liranzo hit .315 with a 1.031 OPS, five homers, 26 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 115 plate appearances. He followed that up with a 1.158 OPS, nine extra-base hits, 11 walks, and nine strikeouts during the Arizona Fall League.

So even if the Tigers had tanked the rest of the season and lost Flaherty for good, they still would have been happy with the two players they got in return.

But not only did they get the prospects and the playoff berth -- they also got Flaherty back for 2025.

Part of the reason Flaherty remained available into February: He wasn’t nearly as dominant following the trade to the Dodgers. Flaherty posted a 2.95 ERA, 0.956 WHIP, and 11.2 strikeouts per nine in Detroit, and then a 3.58 ERA, 1.283 WHIP, and 9.9 strikeouts per nine in L.A.

Those numbers are still solid. Flaherty only had one bad start in 10 games for the Dodgers -- a three-inning, four-run outing against the Braves.

Unfortunately, he had two blowups in the postseason -- an eight-run loss to the Mets and a four-run disaster in the World Series against the Yankees, in which he only got four outs.

Still, Flaherty was one of the best free agent pitchers available this offseason, and the Tigers managed to get him on a short-term deal that mitigates most of the injury risk.

As a cherry on top, the Flaherty signing comes right after ace Tarik Skubal said publicly that he’d love to be reunited with his former teammate. The Tigers need all the goodwill they can generate with Skubal as his own bout with free agency nears (following the 2026 season).

So let’s recap how Harris handled the Flaherty situation:

  1. Signed Flaherty for cheap last offseason and the Tigers developed him back into a Cy Young candidate.
  2. Traded Flaherty for a shortstop who immediately became the starter and a prospect who blossomed in the Tigers' system.
  3. Made the playoffs even without Flaherty.
  4. Signed Flaherty as a free agent to return for 2025.
  5. Made Skubal happy by bringing back the teammate he requested.

It’s the rare win-win-win-win-win. You don’t see those very often.

Harris hasn’t hit on all his moves as the Tigers' general manager, but the progress of this organization is undeniable. Detroit got to see playoff baseball for the first time in a decade last year, and it happened with one of the youngest rosters in the league.

On top of that, the Tigers have a highly ranked farm system and a very winnable division.

It’s been a long rebuild, but the Tigers finally seem to be headed in the right direction.