Detroit reshuffled its rotation order to start Jack Flaherty in Game 3 against the Seattle Mariners, saving Casey Mize for Game 4 if necessary. The reasoning, as manager A.J. Hinch described, comes down to rhythm and trust. “We have to pick an order,” Hinch said before Game 2. “We could do it the other way and feel completely the same, but we have to choose, and we’re going to go with this order.” Flaherty will be pitching on regular rest, a routine Hinch believes evokes the best version of the 29-year-old.

That comment quickly became the focal point of a lively discussion on Foul Territory, where A.J. Pierzynski, Erik Kratz, and Adam Wainwright explained Hinch’s unusual postseason technique.

Erik Kratz kicked things off. “How much are they gonna lean on Flaherty here? Is it a game-time decision? Are they gonna sit there and go, AJ Hinch is looking at it and say, I know this is what looks good for Flaherty, cuz he was great. But you’ve seen some stinkers.” Then Pierzynski explained the move further.

“What did he say? He said no. He said he’s treating it like a normal regular-season game. Because it’s not an elimination game. So he said, ‘Listen, Flaherty pitched great in Cleveland.’ He’s gonna let him go as long if he’s in control, he’s not gonna rush to the bullpen. He made that abundantly clear. It wasn’t a, no, that’s three innings or one time through. He’s like, ‘No, if he’s dealing, I’ll leave him out there as long as he can, cuz he’s built up,’ and he kept saying, ‘Flaherty loves this. He loves the adrenaline. He loves these moments.’ So we’ll see. But as of right now, there was no plan of one time through, gosh, you made it through nine hitters. Let’s get him out. No, he’s like, let him ride.”

And then Wainwright backed up Hinch by highlighting recent performance trends.

“Yeah, and he knows in September, he’s been better than he has been the rest of the year. His stuff has gotten a lot better the last few times out. You saw that. The last start, I think, against Cleveland was probably his best. His stuff’s looked all year.”

Flaherty delivered a 4.64 ERA across 31 regular-season games; however, the star’s late-season uptick caught the Tigers’ attention.

In his most current outing — Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Guardians— Flaherty allowed just one run on three hits with four strikeouts over 4⅔ innings, and he threw 74 pitches. Hinch values that power and clearly wants to see how deep the star can go before turning to the bullpen.

“When he catches his rhythm and timing and execution, that’s really brought out a good version of him and someone we trust a ton,” Hinch pointed out.

The Tigers’ rotation shuffle highlights a good strategy and confidence. If the team sweeps the Mariners, Mize will be fresh for Game 1 of the ALCS. However, for now, Jack Flaherty stays the focal point as the team preps to come through the delay and put on a show at Comerica Park, marking the Tigers’ first home playoff game since September 21.

Flaherty’s wish for fans ahead of ALDS Game 3

The Tigers have spent nearly two weeks on the road, clinching a postseason berth and winning their wild-card series. Now, with Comerica Park buzzing and the series tied, Game 3 provides Jack Flaherty the perfect stage to prove why Hinch is trusting him to “ride” in a vital postseason moment. 

Now, the veteran right-hander shared his wish with The Detroit Free Press.

“I’m hoping for a good atmosphere and a good crowd… Detroit shows up. You hear about it, so it’s something I’m looking forward to. I’ll feed off that energy.”

It is their first home playoff game since a heartbreaking 3–2 loss to Cleveland in the 2024 ALDS, a series in which the Tigers led 2–1 before losing the final two games. Now, they come back to Comerica Park tied 1–1, this time facing a Mariners clubhouse that is dangerous but irregular.

Jorge Polanco was a thorn in Detroit’s side in Game 2, yet Seattle’s bats, including Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh, were quiet in Game 1, proving how streaky their offense can be.

Jack Flaherty hops on the mound with history, pressure, and opportunity all linking up.

He is coming off a strong Wild Card outing against Cleveland and knows the home crowd can swing momentum. And Detroit fans have every reason to bring the energy that Flaherty wants to feed off, especially after the clubhouse’s late-season turnaround from failure to contender.

Still, with a 4.64 ERA and a league-leading 15 losses this year, Flaherty must deliver one of his best starts to outperform Logan Gilbert. 

Game 3 sets the stage for a defining moment in Detroit’s postseason voyage. With the series knotted and momentum hanging in the balance, Jack Flaherty’s game could shape the Tigers’ October fate. Comerica Park is waiting…