Tigers' Jack Flaherty looks to regain past form vs. Red Sox

The Detroit Tigers have dropped one game under .500 after losing the first two games of a three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox. They will look to a struggling starter to prevent a sweep.

Under different circumstances, right-hander Jack Flaherty might be in danger of losing his starting spot. With the rotation decimated by injuries, the Tigers will continue to ride with Flaherty and hope he can solve his issues.

Flaherty (0-2, 5.90 ERA), who will make his eighth start Wednesday, has been unable to record more than 11 outs in his last three appearances.

He issued six walks to Boston hitters on April 20 and was removed after 3 1/3 innings. Flaherty surrendered six runs, including three home runs, in two innings at Cincinnati on April 25.

In his last start, Flaherty gave up four runs in 3 2/3 innings on Friday to Texas while allowing five hits and three walks. He admitted afterward that his struggles have taken a mental toll.

"You just lose it for three hitters and it's just like, agonizing, it's frustrating," Flaherty said. "It probably pisses you off, because it's -- I'm losing sleep over it every single day, trying to figure out what goes on in that little bit right there where we end up walking three guys in a row."

Overall, Flaherty has walked 25 batters in 29 innings. During 2024 when Flaherty began the season with Detroit and then was traded to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers, he walked just 38 batters in 162 innings. Last season, Flaherty went 8-15 while rejoining the Tigers and issued 59 walks in 161 innings.

"Just giving guys free passes and walking guys, that's where it gets frustrating," he said. "I never walked guys like this in my career, so it's one of those things that is gonna be frustrating to really figure it out."

He's 1-0 with a 3.14 ERA in four career outings (three starts) against Boston.

Right-hander Sonny Gray is expected to be activated from the injured list and start for the Red Sox.

Gray (2-1, 4.30) strained his right hamstring while opposing Flaherty last month. In 12 career outings (11 starts) against Detroit, Gray is 5-2 with a 2.45 ERA, including a start last season in which he tossed six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Boston has scored 15 runs in the first two games of the series despite an injury to outfielder Roman Anthony.

He suffered a sprained right wrist during the series opener on Monday but was not placed on the injured list. He will not play on Wednesday.

"The thing is, even with a sprain, it's still going to be reactive on how it is feeling, and how is it progressing," interim manager Chad Tracy said. "That's good news, but we still have to see how he feels over the next couple of days. To know that something happened, and we don't see a break, and we don't see any structural (damage) right now. But again, there's still steps to take to make sure that he feels good and healthy."

--Field Level Media