Jack Flaherty, the Detroit Tigers’ veteran right-hander, looks to rebound from two rough outings when he takes the mound against the visiting Athletics on Wednesday night. After a promising run of solid performances, Flaherty’s recent pitching struggles have drawn attention as the Tigers focus on stabilizing their rotation.

Flaherty’s Recent Performance Declines Sharply

Prior to his most recent starts, Flaherty held a respectable 3.41 ERA following four consecutive quality pitching efforts. However, on June 14 against Cincinnati, Flaherty lost command, walking five batters and surrendering three home runs in an 11-1 defeat. He was charged with seven runs over 4 2/3 innings that day. His following outing was even more difficult, lasting only 2 1/3 innings while allowing eight runs in a loss to Tampa Bay. These performances caused his ERA to spike to 4.83, raising concerns about his ability to regain consistency.

Manager A.J. Hinch Emphasizes Execution as Key to Rebound

Detroit manager A.J. Hinch highlighted Flaherty’s struggle with precision, pointing to the importance of well-placed pitches to regain control.

“Execution is what I go to first,”

Hinch said.

“There were a lot of pitches in the middle, and they did foul off a lot of balls. But execution, execution, execution. You’ve got to get into counts with well-placed pitches. Not just strikes, not just big strikes. Not just in the box but where you intended. He had a hard time ending at-bats in his favor when the execution slips.”

Flaherty’s Determined Mindset Amid Challenges

At 29 years old, Flaherty acknowledged his recent struggles but reaffirmed his determination to move past the setbacks, especially after a tiring doubleheader for the team.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time. Just move on to the next one,”

Flaherty said. He expressed a sense of responsibility, noting that his teammates deserved better from his outings.

Hinch expressed confidence in Flaherty’s ability to adjust and improve. “He will figure it out,” the manager said.

“He will get to his bullpen work, and they will break things down.”

History Against Athletics and Wednesday’s Matchup

Flaherty’s career against the Athletics has been challenging, with a 1-2 record and a 7.03 ERA in three starts. On Wednesday, he will face left-hander Jacob Lopez, who sports a 1-4 record with a 4.25 ERA but has been impressively steady in his last three outings.

Athletics’ Jacob Lopez Shows Promising Form

Lopez has limited opponents to just one earned run over his previous three starts, showcasing notable control and strikeout ability. On June 14, he shut down Kansas City by allowing no runs and only three hits across six innings, striking out nine in a 4-0 victory. He followed that with a strong performance against Houston, giving up a single run and four hits over six innings and again striking out nine in a game the Athletics won 6-4 in 10 innings.

Lopez also displayed composure under pressure by escaping a bases-loaded situation in his final inning via consecutive strikeouts. Athletics manager Mark Kotsay praised the young pitcher’s maturity and impact.

“He had a lot of momentum. He was just handling the lineup really well. To give him that opportunity to go through the sixth, as a young starter (27), you’ve got to earn that. He earned it with this performance. To walk off that mound with that feeling, it’s got to build some confidence,”

Kotsay explained.

Lopez’s Pitching Style and Arsenal

Although Lopez’s fastball velocity is below average, his effectiveness comes from a varied pitch mix and an unusual delivery that keeps hitters off-balance. He employs a combination of a four-seam fastball, slider, cutter, changeup, and sinker.

“I only throw low-90s or whatever people want to say, but I have five pitches that I like to mix in,”

Lopez said.

“I think that’s a huge part of pitching. I’m just keeping hitters off-balance and trying to be smart.”

Tigers’ Offense Sparks Early in Series

Despite Flaherty’s struggles, the Tigers showed offensive strength in the series opener against the Athletics on Tuesday. Kerry Carpenter and Dillon Dingler each hit home runs, while Riley Greene contributed four hits in an 11-4 Detroit victory. This offensive support will be crucial as the Tigers hope Flaherty can regain his form and provide stability on the mound while battling the Athletics.