MLB insider suggests ideal contract length for Jack Flaherty, Tanner Scott

Unexpectedly, Jack Flaherty is yet to be signed, while the reliever market spearheaded by Tanner Scott is also trying to find himself a benchmark-setting contract for bullpen pitchers.

MLB insider Robert Murray shared his insight on the ideal contract scenarios for both players, on Monday's "Baseball Insiders" podcast.

"The guy that’s obviously at the top of all these lists has been Tanner Scott," Murray said (21:50 onwards). "He’s drawing interest from a wide variety of big-market teams, and there’s no shortage of interest there whatsoever. As far as what his potential contract will be, I’ve always been under the impression that he’ll get a very strong multi-year deal.

"I was thinking probably four years, and then Sean McAdam, in one of his recent reports out of Boston, mentioned he’s heard a possible $20 million-per-year contract for Tanner Scott. That is a huge number. I don’t necessarily know what team would end up giving out that kind of contract, but it’d be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, annual average values in baseball history for a reliever."

Turning to the starting pitching market, Murray expressed surprise that Jack Flaherty is still unsigned.

“He’s the best starting pitcher available, and it’s not even close,” he said, comparing Flaherty favorably to other options like Nick Pivetta.

Flaherty, 29, doesn't carry a qualifying offer. He excelled with Detroit, struggled briefly after being traded but finished strong with the Dodgers, making key postseason performances last season.

"I wouldn’t hesitate to give him a three- or four-year deal," Murray added. "I don’t know what he’s seeking necessarily — maybe he’s looking for five years, and that could be the hold-up — but I’m really surprised he’s still on the board."

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Teams interested in acquiring Tanner Scott and Jack Flaherty

According to J.P. Morosi on MLB Network, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves are strongly suited to use the services of Tanner Scott. Moreover, the kind of contract the former San Deigo Padres reliever is after could be offered by both teams.

Meanwhile, Jack Flaherty's free agency has suffered thanks to high-profile starters in this year's mix, which included Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Shane Bieber and Blake Snell. Now that all of them have been signed, it paves the way for the likes of Flaherty and Nick Pivetta.

MLB onsider Ken Rosenthal believes Jack Flaherty could be a good fallback option for the Baltimore Orioles who failed to re-sign Burnes. According to Mark Feinsand, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs are the other teams reported to be interested in acquiring the right-handed starter.