How the Tigers’ 2025 pitching rotation looks after signing Ex-Dodgers ace Jack Flaherty

By signing Jack Flaherty on Sunday, the Detroit Tigers pulled off a move that few teams have ever done. They traded a player for prospects and then re-signed him in free agency. Flaherty returns to Detroit on a two-year deal following his stint with the LA Dodgers.

It gives the Tigers a more well-rounded rotation. The 2024 rotation was mostly Tarik Skubal, the eventual Cy Young or bust. Next season, it's deeper than that. Here's how it stacks up.

1. Tarik Skubal
2. Jack Flaherty
3. Reese Olson
4. Alex Cobb
5. Jackson Jobe/Casey Mize

The other big recent example of a team doing this bears a striking resemblance. In 2016, the New York Yankees traded Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs for Gleyber Torres.

Torres proved to be a mainstay for the Yankees, but Chapman helped the Cubs win the World Series. In free agency, New York added Chapman back, keeping him and Torres for several years. The Dodgers added Flaherty and won the World Series before the Tigers got him back.

Trey Sweeney came back in the Jack Flaherty deal (Imagn)

Detroit got Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney in return, neither of whom was as highly touted as Torres was. They now have Flaherty and his return prospects. They also did what the Yankees didn't do in 2016: made the playoffs after trading Flaherty.

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Jack Flaherty reportedly doesn't remove Tigers from Alex Bregman sweepstakes

Despite the Detroit Tigers signing Gleyber Torres and Jack Flaherty, they're reportedly not out on Alex Bregman. This remains the case after committing to a two-year $35 million contract for Flaherty.

"After signing Jack Flaherty and augmenting their rotation, the Tigers are one of the teams pursuing Alex Bregman," ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted on Sunday.

Bregman has had several suitors, including the Tigers, Houston Astros and New York Yankees. However, none of these teams has separated from the pack and is close to signing the free agent, but the Tigers have been involved for a long time.

After adding more than $30 million in salary this offseason, the Tigers may not be able to afford Bregman, but they're at least not backing out of the race.