Detroit Tigers' Jack Flaherty on trade deadline: 'I've enjoyed every single second here'

CLEVELAND — Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty is ready for Tuesday's trade deadline.

He knows what to expect.

He's been down this road before.

"Going through it last year, I don't think I handled it very well last year going through it," Flaherty said after Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians , in which he tossed six innings. "I think going through it last year, and then taking this, you just control what you can control one day at a time."

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Flaherty, who signed a one-year, $14 million contract last offseason, is lined up to make his next start Monday against the Guardians at Comerica Park, but the trade deadline is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, meaning Flaherty might not start again for the Tigers.

The 28-year-old is the best two-month rental starting pitcher on the trade market, a testament to his career revival .

He is pitching like an ace.

The Tigers plan to trade him for prospects.

"The goal is to go out and win games for this team," Flaherty said. "These guys are awesome. I've enjoyed every single second here. These guys are an unbelievable group of guys. Just enjoy it, and then try to go out and win games."

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Flaherty has received two injections for lower back pain this season, but he did nothing but boost his trade value in Wednesday's start against the Guardians at Progressive Field. He allowed one run (zero earned runs) on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings, throwing 96 pitches.

If that was his final appearance, Flaherty has been incredible throughout his four months as a Tiger, posting a 2.95 ERA with 19 walks and 133 strikeouts across 106⅔ innings in 18 starts. His 32% strikeout rate ranks fifth in MLB and second in the American League.

"I hate it for them because they're getting a lot of questions from family, friends, you guys have to cover it," manager A.J. Hinch said. "All of that chips a little bit away from the competition, so when you see somebody like Jack go out and perform well and look to be in complete control of the competition, that's pretty awesome."

Last year, Flaherty was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals — the only team he had played for as a professional — to the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline.

In return, the Cardinals acquired infielder César Prieto , right-handed reliever Zack Showalter and left-hander Drew Rom .

Rom, 24, hasn't pitched in the 2024 season because of shoulder surgery, but Prieto, 25, and Showalter, 20, have been successful for the Cardinals in the minor leagues. Prieto is hitting .302 with 12 home runs in Triple-A Memphis; Showalter has posted a 2.59 ERA across 31⅓ innings in Low-A Palm Beach.

"I think just experience with everything," said Flaherty, who had a 6.75 ERA in nine games (seven starts) with the Orioles after last year's trade. "Experience with one time going through it, get your name thrown around in a bunch of different scenarios. I'm just in a better place mentally this year than I was last year, so I've done a much better job of taking it one day at a time. I'm focused on trying to win games."

Many teams contending for the postseason need help in the starting pitching department, including the Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, among others.

Flaherty is the best two-month rental pitcher available on the trade market because he adjusted his mechanics and changed his pitch mix upon joining the Tigers on a one-year contract.

"It's still only July," Flaherty said, "and I have another start in July. I still got two months-plus of the season left, so there's still a lot of work to be done."

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Riley Greene's legs

Before Thursday's game, Riley Greene — a 23-year-old All-Star outfielder — completed a series of lower-body drills under the evaluation of performance coach Shane Wallen, assistant performance coach Drew Heithoff, head athletic trainer Ryne Eubanks and assistant athletic trainer Kelly Rhoades.

The Tigers are paying close attention to Greene's legs.

"I would say it's definitely part of it, and you have to accept it," said Greene, who missed Tuesday's game to rest his legs . "I can be frustrated about it because that's who I am. I hate missing games, and I hate not being out there with the boys. But it is kinda part of it."

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Greene sat out Tuesday , but he returned to the lineup as the designated hitter Wednesday and Thursday to complete the four-game series against the Guardians. He is likely to be the designated hitter again for Friday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park.

He should be ready to return to the outfield for Saturday's game with left-hander Tarik Skubal on the mound.

Greene, who suffered from a left fibula stress reaction last season, believes playing center field — as opposed to left field — creates more wear and tear on his legs.

"Yeah, if you just look at the numbers of running," Greene said. "You got to cover more ground (in center field) and things like that, so I would say, yes, it does."

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After Greene finished the workout, the two performances coaches and the two athletic trainers spent a few minutes talking together on the field about what they saw from Greene in the on-field drills.

Greene reached the 100-game mark Wednesday for the first time in a single season in his three-year MLB career, making Thursday his 101st game of 2024.

"I think he's doing better," Hinch said of Greene, hitting .267 with 17 home runs. "He's been frustrated that his legs haven't felt good, and I think it's impacted his comfort, so these are more mental days for him than physical days."

Javier Báez in the nine-hole

Shortstop Javier Báez batted ninth in the starting lineup Wednesday for the first time since Sept. 19, 2017, with the Chicago Cubs. He also batted ninth in Thursday's lineup.

Báez, 31, is hitting .176 with one home run, eight walks and 49 strikeouts across 63 games, entering Thursday.

"There's no underlying message," Hinch said. "It's not a slap in the face to him."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Jack Flaherty on trade deadline: 'I've enjoyed every single second here'