BOSTON — A Patriots’ Day morning start at Fenway Park turned into another frustrating lesson for the Detroit Tigers, who combined timely hitting with untimely pitching in an 8-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Monday.
The story of the game — and increasingly, a theme for Detroit’s rotation — was simple: too many free passes.
Right-hander Jack Flaherty embodied both the promise and the problem. He allowed just two runs — none earned — on limited hits over 3.1 innings, but his outing unraveled under the weight of six walks. It took him 73 pitches to record 10 outs, with only 41 landing for strikes.
Flaherty’s trouble peaked in the fourth inning, when back-to-back walks forced manager A.J. Hinch to make an early move. After a pop-out by Willson Contreras, reliever Brant Hurter entered and limited the damage with a groundout and lineout, but the tone had already been set.
Despite the shaky command, Flaherty continues to show flashes of effectiveness. Through five starts, the 30-year-old carries a 3.47 ERA, allowing two runs or fewer in all but one outing. His four-seam fastball has been particularly strong, holding opponents to a .179 average — a sharp improvement from last season.
But the inconsistency is growing harder to ignore.
Flaherty’s walk rate has ballooned to 6.30 per nine innings this season, nearly double his career average of 3.25. It’s a stark contrast to last year, when he maintained a steadier 3.30 BB per nine. Monday’s six-walk performance marked his highest total since April 7, 2023, during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Compounding the issue, his slider — once a reliable out pitch — has been hit hard early this season, with opponents batting .286 against it and generating fewer swings and misses compared to 2025.
The Tigers’ offense did its part to keep the game within reach, pushing across six runs and matching Boston for stretches of the afternoon. But each surge was undercut by control lapses on the mound. Walks extended innings, fueled rallies, and ultimately allowed the Red Sox to build the separation they needed.
Detroit’s pitching staff has been a bright spot overall, entering the game ranked near the top of Major League Baseball in team ERA — trailing only the Atlanta Braves — a significant jump from last season’s middle-of-the-pack finish. But outings like Monday’s highlight the thin margin for error.
With veteran ace Justin Verlander currently on the injured list, the Tigers need stability from arms like Flaherty. The ingredients are clearly there: swing-and-miss stuff, a strong fastball, and the ability to limit damage. The missing piece is command.
If that comes, he can anchor this rotation. If it doesn’t, games like this — where control issues outweigh everything else — will continue to haunt Detroit.
On a day built around tradition and early baseball, the takeaway was unmistakable: against a disciplined lineup, giving away bases is a risk that rarely goes unpunished.
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