Jack Flaherty looked like his old self on the mound Wednesday, but his defense let him down in a big way. The Detroit Tigers right-hander racked up 10 strikeouts with just one walk over five innings—his first double-digit strikeout performance since August 2024—but three costly defensive miscues led to all four runs in a 4-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park.

The Tigers (18-20) were swept in the three-game series, dropping to two games below .500 for the first time since April 12. It's been a rough stretch for Detroit, which has lost 10 of its last 16 games. Up next, they'll face the Kansas City Royals in an AL Central showdown starting Friday at 7:40 p.m. on Detroit SportsNet.

Flaherty allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits, striking out the first five batters he faced and retiring the first six in order. He completed four innings for the first time since April 15, throwing 96 pitches in a solid bounce-back outing. But the damage came from defensive breakdowns—two from third baseman Colt Keith and one from first baseman Spencer Torkelson.

In the third inning, Keith failed to field a grounder that deflected off his glove for a leadoff single. After a hit-by-pitch, Torkelson couldn't hold onto a foul ball that touched his glove. On the very next pitch, Caleb Durbin ripped an up-and-in fastball for an RBI double down the third-base line, giving Boston a 1-0 lead. That sequence could have been the third out of the inning. Instead, Willson Contreras added a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

The same defensive struggles continued in the fourth, as the Red Sox tacked on more runs. For a pitcher who finally found his rhythm, it was a tough reminder that baseball is a team sport—and sometimes, even a great outing isn't enough when the gloves don't cooperate. For Tigers fans, the hope is that Flaherty can build on this performance, while the defense tightens up before the next series.