Flaherty signed a two-year contract worth up to $45 million. His return creates a new level of competition in the Tigers rotation.

Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris was declarative last month when asked about being active on the market following the signing of free-agent reliever Tommy Kahnle. “We’re not done,” Harris said at the time.

The contract includes an opt-out clause after the first year and he would receive $25 million in salary and bonus this upcoming season.