HIS BACK!!!Jack Flaherty was ‘excellent’ in his return from injury, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 10-1 victory over the Guardians.Flaherty, who h…
Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty, who had a two-week break between starts to recover from a recurring lower back injury, received a handshake and a hug from manager A.J. Hinch after finishing the sixth inning.
“He was exceptional,” Hinch said.
Flaherty allowed just one run in his first start since June 27, throwing 83 pitches.
Led by Flaherty, the Tigers secured a 10-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday at Comerica Park, concluding the four-game series between American League Central rivals.
“Coming into the game, everybody knew we had a chance to win the series with Jack on the mound,” Hinch said. “We’ve been playing pretty clean baseball. It’s huge to get someone back who’s performed at an All-Star level, even though he hasn’t been selected yet. He’s been a rock in our rotation.”
The Tigers (45-49) took three out of four games against the Guardians, though they still trail the first-place Guardians by 13 games in the AL Central. Following the All-Star break, the Tigers will play six of their next 12 games against the Guardians to close out July.
**To the ‘Pen:** The Tigers have moved veteran Kenta Maeda to the bullpen for the foreseeable future.
Flaherty, signed to a one-year, $14 million contract, needs to stay healthy and avoid the injured list to maintain his status as one of the most sought-after pitchers at the upcoming July 30 trade deadline.
The 28-year-old has a 3.13 ERA in 16 starts.
“We’re going to have some time here with the All-Star break,” Flaherty said. “I’m not really concerned. I don’t have to bounce back in five days and do it again, so I’ll have some time. It’s nice to feel good walking away and be in a good spot, feeling much better than I have the last handful of times.”
After a 14-day absence, Flaherty navigated around two hits and two walks, striking out four in his six-inning performance. The Guardians scored their lone run in the third inning when Bo Naylor hit Flaherty’s hanging slider for a solo home run to right field.
Before that, Flaherty retired the first seven batters he faced.
In the fourth inning, Flaherty avoided trouble after walking Daniel Schneemann on six pitches and Andrés Giménez on four pitches. Following a mound visit from pitching coach Chris Fetter, Flaherty threw three consecutive fastballs to Will Brennan, who grounded out to escape the jam.
