Free agent righty Jack Flaherty appeared on the Foul Territory podcast not too long ago to debate his ongoing journey by way of free company and made some revealing feedback in regards to the state of his market. Notably, the right-hander indicated that whereas a handful of groups have continued to test in with him all through the offseason, golf equipment have been reluctant to make him a proper supply so far.
“It’s like, ’What are you as much as?’ [and] ’When is the market gonna transfer?’… You must make a proposal after which it’ll go, however simply calling and checking in… I don’t know. It’s bizarre,” Flaherty stated. He then went on to counsel that golf equipment may need some stage of complacency about bettering past the extent wanted to have an opportunity at stepping into the playoffs.
“It’s not that I don’t assume groups need to win, I simply assume you will have numerous groups that have a look at their rosters and so they’re proud of it… groups simply need to get into the playoffs. Possibly it’s not World Sequence or bust, it’s simply hope we are able to get into the playoffs after which type of see what occurs.”
For the reason that league expanded the postseason to incorporate 12 groups again in 2022, there’s been a pattern away from the tear-down technique of rebuilding utilized by groups just like the Cubs, Nationals, and Orioles in recent times. Coming into the 2025 season, solely the White Sox and Marlins are rebuilding in that kind of aggressive trend with the remainder of the league’s golf equipment usually seeking to keep not less than some stage of baseline competitiveness. That’s a technique incentivized by the brand new playoff format, which not solely added one other playoff group in each leagues but in addition permits Wild Card groups to take part in a three-game sequence quite than the one-game, win-or-go-home playoff the 10-team format utilized prior to now.
That assure of a postseason sequence for any membership that may make the playoffs in any respect, when mixed with the inherit randomness of baseball’s playoffs, has arguably weakened the motivation for groups to maximise their odds of profitable their division on the expense of the franchise’s longer-term outlook. Some proof for that is comparatively simple to see: 2024 was the primary season in a decade the place no membership received 100 video games, and the primary three seasons of the 12-team playoff format have seen 5 groups that received 86 video games or much less make the postseason after simply two such groups made the playoffs throughout your complete 10-team playoff period that spanned from 2012 to 2021.
That features 84-win campaigns by the Diamondbacks and Marlins in 2023, which have been tied for the bottom win whole for any playoff group since 83-win Cardinals received the World Sequence again in 2006. Just one different group, the 2005 Padres, has made it to the playoffs with lower than 84 wins in a 162-game season because the 1973 Mets received the AL East with 82 wins. To what extent that elevated means for groups with win totals within the mid-80’s to make the postseason might be traced again to the struggles some higher-end free brokers similar to Flaherty have confronted to find free agent offers which are commensurate with their perceived worth is troublesome to pin down, nevertheless.
No matter the reason for Flaherty’s depressed market, it was reported earlier this month that the right-hander is now open to short-term affords as he seems to be to search out his new residence with the beginning of Spring Coaching simply two over two weeks away. The Tigers, Cubs, Orioles, and Blue Jays are among the many groups which were related to Flaherty this winter. The suitable-hander expressed a want to return to the Dodgers early within the offseason, however that door has lengthy appeared closed within the aftermath of Los Angeles placing early to signal Blake Snell again in November. The Dodgers have additionally added Roki Sasaki since then, additional crowding their rotation combine. Flaherty acknowledged the lengthy odds of a reunion in the course of the interview, noting that he “can do the maths” and surmise that he’s “almost definitely” not returning to LA. He additionally has curiosity in returning to his different 2024 membership this 12 months, nevertheless, and spoke positively of the Tigers in the course of the interview.
“You already know, I wished to remain in Detroit,” Flaherty stated. “We had conversations, and I beloved it there. And I assumed the combo of me and Skub was unimaginable… we’ve been speaking to them and speaking to different groups… Hey, you realize, it might be enjoyable to return there.”
The Tigers look like one of many extra lively groups on the prime of the remaining free agent market at this level, as they’ve remained engaged not solely with Flaherty but in addition with third baseman Alex Bregman. Bregman has gave the impression to be the membership’s precedence so far, however these are reportedly at a “standstill.” If Bregman finally indicators elsewhere, it’s simple to think about Detroit redirecting these funds to Flaherty the place the righty would reclaim his position on the prime of the membership’s rotation alongside Tarik Skubal. That signing would push the membership’s potential fifth starter choices like Kenta Maeda, Matt Manning, Casey Mize, and Keider Montero into depth roles getting into the season.
