Flaherty exercises 2026 option, stays with Tigers at $20M

Jack Flaherty exercised his player option on Tuesday and will return to the Detroit Tigers for the 2026 season at a $20 million salary, the club announced. The option doubled after an escalator clause was triggered when Flaherty made at least 15 starts for Detroit in 2025, securing the veteran right-hander’s place in the rotation next year.

Flaherty rejoined the Tigers in February under a contract that included the 2026 option. By choosing to remain, he removes a key offseason uncertainty for Detroit’s front office and gives the club one less major decision as it evaluates roster and payroll priorities. The move locks in a veteran starter while the Tigers determine whether to add bullpen depth, offensive upgrades, or another starting arm.

The 30-year-old delivered an uneven 2025 campaign but showed encouraging underlying metrics. Over 31 starts and 161 innings, Flaherty posted a 4.64 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP, with 188 strikeouts — ninth-most in the American League — and a 10.5 strikeouts-per-nine rate. He surrendered 23 home runs and his walk rate rose modestly, but his 3.85 FIP and a DRA of 100 suggest some of the run-scoring outcomes may not fully reflect his underlying...