Players with "championship experience" are often over-characterized in the media and by fans — many players at the MLB level have a long history of winning at every level they've ever played at, and it's a bit of a false equivalence to assume they don't know "how to be a winner" just because they haven't lifted the Commissioner's Trophy.
However, there's still something to be said for experience in big moments in front of thousands of fans, especially for young teams that are on the rise.
The Detroit Tigers are one of those teams. They made the playoffs (and won a series) for the first time in a decade last fall, achieving their first winning season (86-76) since 2016. They did all of that despite trading their co-ace, Jack Flaherty, to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline.
Now, Flaherty is returning to Detroit on a two-year deal, and he's bringing some championship perspective with him.
BREAKING: Right-hander Jack Flaherty and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a two-year, $35 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 3, 2025
Jack Flaherty gives Tigers another clubhouse leader ahead of crucial 2025 season
Before this signing, the Tigers' top projected starters were reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, 25-year-old righty Reese Olson, and veteran free agent signing Alex Cobb (who completed just 16 1/3 innings in 2024).
To say that Flaherty fills a hole is an understatement, even with the top pitching prospect in baseball, Jackson Jobe, appearing ready for a big step forward in 2025.
Besides Flaherty and Cobb, the team also signed second baseman Gleyber Torres this offseason, who likewise made it to the 2024 World Series, though he did so with the vanquished New York Yankees. Tommy Kahnle, a sterling reliever from that same Yankees team, is also lending his talents to Detroit this upcoming season.
It's clear that the Tigers have been interested in adding veterans with playoff experience this winter. Their persistent presence in Alex Bregman rumors — the third baseman having won two World Series with the Houston Astros — only fuels that narrative.
It's an approach that makes sense for a young roster that's ready to win now. The entire starting lineup is comprised of players in their 20s. The starting rotation is the same, save for Cobb's presence. Even the bullpen is filled exclusively with youngsters beyond Kahnle and potentially Kenta Maeda.
The most notable veteran presence on the roster is Javier Baéz, himself a World Series champion with the 2016 Chicago Cubs. Though he's more known now for his onerous contract than anything else, he's still a proven champion.
Coming off a season in which they defeated the Astros 2-0 in the Wild Card series before falling to the Cleveland Guardians in five games in the ALDS, the Tigers are closer to contention than they've been since the shared primes of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Miguel Cabrera ,and Prince Fielder intersected in Motown.
Bringing Flaherty back — after he produced a 2.95 ERA (3.12 FIP) in 18 pre-trade deadline starts in Detroit last season — was as much about necessity as it was makeup and team-building philosophy. There was a need behind Tarik Skubal atop the rotation, and the 29-year-old right-hander is a proven fit in that role.
It just helps that he can also say, after a few short months away from the Tigers, that he's also a proven World Series winner.