A Tiger again, Flaherty meets the prospects he was traded for

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Jack Flaherty settled into his locker in the Tigers clubhouse at Joker Marchant Stadium on Wednesday morning, next to Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, and talked about the comfort level he has within the organization and the factor it played in bringing him back.

“I’m just happy to be here. It’s good to be back in here,” Flaherty said. “Last year I felt like the new guy in here. I was just trying to fit in and do what I can. And this year it was like, ‘Good to see you again.’”

In some ways, it was like he had never left … except for two guys on other sides of the clubhouse.

Tucked into the floating bank of lockers reserved for prospects who are non-roster invites, Thayron Liranzo geared up for a morning of catching Tigers pitchers on the bullpen mounds in the back of the complex. This is his first Spring Training in the organization, and as the Tigers’ top-ranked catching prospect, he has pitchers he needs to learn.

Liranzo is here because of Flaherty -- literally. The 21-year-old backstop was one of two Dodgers prospects sent to the Tigers to get Flaherty at last July’s Trade Deadline.

“It’s funny,” Liranzo said through translation from Tigers manager of Spanish communications and broadcasting Carlos Guillen. “As soon as I got the news that we signed Flaherty, I was like, ‘This is a total win for the Tigers.’”

The other prospect has a locker right across from Flaherty. Though position players don’t have to report to camp until the weekend, Trey Sweeney was one of several early arrivals. He has a job to win after serving as Detroit’s primary shortstop during their incredible late-season run to the playoffs.

“Getting traded and he comes right back,” Sweeney said with a smile, “I think it’s going to be cool.”

Liranzo and Sweeney were the price for the Dodgers to get Flaherty for their stretch run last year. Flaherty helped the Dodgers get a World Series title. Sweeney helped the Tigers get their first postseason berth in a decade. Liranzo got the Tigers a sixth prospect in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 with a late-season surge at High-A West Michigan and the Arizona Fall League.

The Tigers signed Flaherty back as a free agent last week.

“It’s interesting,” Flaherty said. “It’s kind of part of the business of things. It kind of worked out for both sides, the fact that we won in L.A. and they got a couple great guys back and then I ended up back here. It’s funny how things work.”

“We’ll poke some fun at him, that he’s been the gift that keeps on giving,” said manager A.J. Hinch, who introduced Flaherty and Liranzo in the clubhouse Wednesday morning as part of the first team meeting for pitchers and catchers.

It’s a rare sight in baseball, but not unprecedented. The A’s traded Rickey Henderson to the Blue Jays at the Trade Deadline for Steve Karsay and a player to be named later in 1993, then signed Henderson back that December. Henderson was in the outfield when Karsay tossed seven shutout innings to beat the Twins in his 1994 season debut. A year later, Henderson shared the outfield with José Herrera, the other player in the deal, when the A’s called up Herrera down the stretch.

Whether Liranzo ever gets to catch Flaherty in a game is iffy; Liranzo has yet to play above High-A, and Flaherty has a two-year contract that includes an opt-out at the end of this coming season. But with 31 pitchers in Major League camp and just six catchers, it’s very possible Liranzo will catch a bullpen session from the pitcher he was traded for. He could also take swings against him in live batting practice next week.

And when the Tigers open the regular season at Dodger Stadium at the end of March with a three-game series against the defending World Series champions, it’s likely Flaherty will start one of those games after getting his championship ring from his former club. He might even pitch with Sweeney behind him at shortstop, both facing their former team.

“It’ll be crazy, kinda surreal to go back there in a different situation,” Flaherty said. “Take that moment, enjoy it and get back to work. Last year was great, a lot of fun, a celebration, but I’m focused on here and now.”