Right-hander Jack Flaherty returns to Tigers on 2-year, $35 million deal after World Series win with Dodgers

Jack Flaherty is headed back to Detroit.

The right-hander struck a two-year, $35 million deal with the Tigers on Sunday night, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The new contract includes an opt-out after the first season.

Flaherty started last season with the Tigers, though he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline. He then helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series title last fall, including starting in a 6-3 win in Game 1 of the series against the New York Yankees and starting in their eventual Game 5 win that sealed the championship.

Flaherty was much improved last season across the board. The 29-year-old held a 3.17 ERA, which was down significantly from 4.99 the year before. He held a 7-5 record in 18 starts with the Tigers in the regular season. The team made the playoffs after he left, ending a decade postseason drought. Flaherty then went 6-2 in 10 regular-season starts with the Dodgers. Though they won in both of his starts in the World Series, Flaherty posted a 7.36 ERA in his five playoff starts for the Dodgers.

Flaherty became a free agent for the second time in his career this offseason. He signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Tigers last December.

Flaherty got his start with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017 after they took him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of high school in Los Angeles. He spent his first six seasons in the league with the Cardinals, and he’s bounced around between the Orioles, Tigers and Dodgers over the past two campaigns.

Flaherty will now join reigning AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal in the rotation in Detroit, where he should provide great depth for the franchise as it attempts to make the postseason for a second straight time.