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Junfu Han \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n
In Game 5, Flaherty worked out of the bullpen in the 13th and 14th innings for manager A.J. Hinch, not allowing a hit and striking out two while working around three walks. The 29-year-old pitched in three playoff games, going 10 innings, striking out 12 with a 3.60 ERA. He pitched in 31 games <\/a>in the regular season for Hinch.<\/p>\n Last season at the trade deadline, Detroit traded Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he helped them beat the New York Yankees in five games to win the World Series. He re-signed with the Tigers as a free agent.<\/p>\n “I love these guys, man. I came back here for a reason, to be with these guys, play with them, and be part of this team. I didn\u2019t want to leave it last year (before the trade to LA),” said Flaherty<\/a>. “We\u2019ve got a chance to do something special.<\/p>\n “We\u2019ve got Skub. You see what Javy did with a resurgent year and what he did in the playoffs. You go around the diamond. Riley Greene\u2019s special. Tork is all the way back. I\u2019m really happy for that guy, after what he went through last year . . . We\u2019ve got some arms.”<\/p>\n They do have some arms coming back, and they have some good young arms as well that got some valuable postseason taste the last two weeks. One of those young arms is 24-year-old Troy Melton, who pitched 8.1 innings this postseason with eight strikeouts and a 5.40 ERA. Don’t let the ERA fool you as Detroit’s fourth-round pick in 2022 has an impressive arm.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s incredible what Troy Melton showed in this series,” Flaherty said. “Casey (Mize) was an All-Star this year . . . It\u2019s an incredible group. You take that all in.”<\/p>\n This was the Tigers’ second straight trip to the postseason, and there is no doubt that they are built to be a contender again in 2026. Despite not having made a decision<\/a> yet, it sounds like Flaherty would like to exercise his player option and return. We will see what ends up happening.<\/p>\n