Flaherty is the story for Detroit and not in a good way. He's 0-3 with a 5.56 ERA and has issued 11 walks across his last three starts, though he did flash signs of life with a 10-strikeout outing his last time out before getting hung out to dry by the offense and defense behind him. Without Tarik Skubal (elbow surgery), Casey Mize, and Reese Olson, this start matters more than the line score suggests — the Tigers can't keep cycling 4-inning starts and stay afloat.
Freddy Peralta has been the lone bright spot in a Mets uniform since the trade, sitting on a 3.12 ERA while the team around him has refused to score runs for him. He's 2-3 mostly because the Mets are 29th in OPS and basically out of healthy bats. He punched out 8 over 5.2 against the Rockies last time, allowed 2 runs, and still took the loss. That's life right now.
- Day-To-DayDugan Darnell (RP) — The Tigers announced Sunday that Darnell (hip) has been playing catch five times a week and is also taking part in a running progression, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILKerry Carpenter (RF) — The Tigers placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder.05/10
- 10-Day-ILJavier Baez (SS) — The Tigers placed Baez on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right ankle sprain.05/08
- 15-Day-ILConnor Seabold (RP) — Seabold (ankle) struck out two and gave up one hit and no walks over a scoreless inning in his rehab appearance Friday with Single-A Lakeland.05/11
- 15-Day-ILCasey Mize (SP) — Mize (adductor) threw a bullpen session Friday, MLB.com reports.05/09
- 15-Day-ILWill Vest (RP) — Vest (forearm) received a cortisone injection Friday, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILTarik Skubal (SP) — Skubal could return in as little as 4-to-6 weeks following surgery Wednesday to remove a loose body from his left elbow, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.05/08
- suspensionFramber Valdez (SP) — Valdez's six-game suspension was reduced to five games Wednesday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILJustin Verlander (SP) — The Tigers transferred Verlander to the 60-day injured list Sunday.05/10
- 60-Day-ILBeau Brieske (RP) — Brieske (adductor) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Lakeland on Tuesday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTrey Sweeney (SS) — The Tigers transferred Sweeney (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Saturday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILReese Olson (SP) — The Tigers placed Olson on the 60-day injured list Tuesday after he underwent a right shoulder labral repair Feb. 2 that will result in him missing the 2026 season.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTroy Melton (RP) — Melton (elbow) yielded two runs (one earned) on two hits and no walks while striking out two batters over 1.2 innings in his rehab start Sunday with Single-A Lakeland.05/08
- 60-Day-ILParker Meadows (CF) — Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that Meadows underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a left radius fracture and will be sidelined "multiple months," Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILBailey Horn (RP) — The Tigers transferred Horn (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08
- Day-To-DayJoe Jacques (RP) — The Mets signed Jacques to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayKevin Herget (RP) — Herget signed a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training with the Mets on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayNick Burdi (RP) — The Red Sox reinstated Burdi (hip) from the injured list Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester.05/08
- Day-To-DayJose Rojas (3B) — Triple-A Salt Lake placed Rojas on its COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILJorge Polanco (1B) — Polanco's bruised right wrist has recovered nicely, but he's dealing with a flareup of the bursitis in his left Achilles, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.05/10
- 10-Day-ILLuis Robert Jr. (CF) — Robert (back) has yet to resume baseball activities since landing on the 10-day injured list in late April, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.05/10
- 10-Day-ILJared Young (1B) — The Mets placed Young on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, retroactive to Monday, due to a meniscus tear in his left knee.05/08
- 10-Day-ILRonny Mauricio (SS) — The Mets placed Mauricio (thumb) on the 10-day injured list Sunday.05/08
- 10-Day-ILFrancisco Lindor (SS) — Lindor (calf) will wear a boot for the next week and remain shut down for at least three weeks, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILA.J. Minter (RP) — Minter (hip/lat) completed a bullpen session Saturday, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.05/10
- 15-Day-ILKodai Senga (SP) — Senga (back) completed a bullpen session Sunday, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.05/10
- OutMike Tauchman (RF) — Tauchman (knee) is still rehabbing at the Mets' spring training complex and has yet to resume baseball activities, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.05/11
- OutGrae Kessinger (3B) — Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday that Kessinger sustained "a pretty significant injury" to his left hamstring and will need at least 8-12 weeks to recover, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.05/08
- OutRobert Stock (RP) — Stock (shoulder) said Sunday that he'll require surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome and could be sidelined for the remainder of the season, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILReed Garrett (RP) — The Mets placed Garrett (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILDedniel Nunez (RP) — The Mets placed Nunez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILJustin Hagenman (RP) — The Mets placed Hagenman on the 60-day injured list Saturday due to a rib fracture.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTylor Megill (SP) — The Mets placed Megill (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.05/08
The injury list is where this game gets genuinely sad. Francisco Lindor is in a walking boot and shut down for at least 3 weeks. Jorge Polanco's Achilles bursitis is flaring. Luis Robert Jr. hasn't even resumed baseball activities. Kodai Senga and A.J. Minter are throwing bullpens but aren't close. Detroit's just as banged up — Kerry Carpenter's shoulder, Javier Baez's ankle, Parker Meadows out multiple months, and Justin Verlander now on the 60-day. Carlos Mendoza is essentially running out Austin Slater and Vidal Brujan as middle-of-the-order options.
The total sits at 8 with the under juiced to -114, which feels about right given Peralta's stuff and the fact that neither lineup scares anyone right now. If you're betting this, the Tigers at +131 are the spot most square money will go — Flaherty has the strikeout ceiling, and the Mets offense has been historically bad. But "bad starter vs. worse offense" is a coin flip you usually want to fade. Lean small unit or pass.
Bottom line: this is a 6:10 PM first pitch between two teams whose seasons are quietly slipping toward sell-mode territory. Peralta is already drawing trade interest from the Cubs and others if the Mets keep sliding. Watch how long Flaherty's leash is, watch whether Pete Alonso and Juan Soto can carry a lineup that has no one else, and prepare for a game that probably ends 4-3 in the 9th.