Jack Flaherty’s Mound Slip Preceded Early Exit — Tigers Face Injury Scare at the Worst Possible Time

The Detroit Tigers caught a brutal break on Friday night. Starting pitcher Jack Flaherty left a road matchup against the Cleveland Guardians after just three innings due to lower leg discomfort, and the timing couldn’t be worse for a team finally starting to get healthy.

Flaherty threw 63 pitches before calling it quits, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout. Cleveland held a 2-1 lead when he departed, and the Tigers ultimately fell 3-2. It marked his second-shortest start of the season, behind only a two-inning disaster against Cincinnati on April 25.

When Did the Trouble Start?

The issue reportedly surfaced early. During the first inning, Flaherty slipped on the mound while delivering a fastball to Chase DeLauter. He switched from bright orange cleats to white cleats before the third inning, which raised eyebrows. The team later clarified that the discomfort was not related to the final play of his outing — when he stumbled fielding a high chopper from Kyle Manzardo but still completed the throw to first. Instead, he had been feeling the leg trouble earlier in that inning.

Manager AJ Hinch confirmed after the game that the right-hander’s condition worsened as the contest wore on. Flaherty underwent additional testing following the loss, though the Tigers have not yet disclosed the results.

A Rotation Finally Getting Help — Maybe

The irony here is painful for Detroit. The Tigers have been waiting for frontline reinforcements, and they’re finally close. Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize are expected to return from the injured list. Justin Verlander recently completed his second rehab start in Triple-A. Keider Montero threw 6⅓ scoreless innings on Thursday. Framber Valdez and rookie Troy Melton are also waiting in the wings.

But if Flaherty’s injury is serious, the Tigers suddenly lose their most durable starter. He entered Friday as the only Detroit arm who hadn’t missed a start this season due to injury or suspension. His record now sits at 1-8 with a 5.35 ERA across 15 starts.

Jacob Waguespack replaced Flaherty in the fourth inning. Recently acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers and called up from Triple-A earlier this week, he pitched a scoreless frame while allowing one hit and one walk. It was his first MLB appearance since 2024.

The Tigers had won seven of their previous nine games entering this series. Now they wait — and hope — on Flaherty’s evaluation.