MLB trade grades: Phillies add Tigers All-Star to starting rotation

The Philadelphia Phillies are making a push for the postseason, and they solidified it by adding Michael Lorenzen from the Detroit Tigers. Let’s grade the trade.

The Philadelphia Phillies managed to sneak into the postseason last year and made a run to the World Series, where they fell just two wins short of hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy. The team did make some big moves that offseason to help make a World Series win much more attainable, notably adding shortstop Trea Turner. Yet, the team started the season slowly, sitting far behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East. But, they are in the running for a Wild Card spot, which is very crowded as of this writing.

So, the Phillies decided to get one of the top starting pitchers available at the trade deadline.

MLB Network insider Jon Morosi first reported that the Phillies were close to trading for Detroit Tigers starter Michael Lorenzen. That trade has since been confirmed. Heading back to Detroit is Philadelphia’s No. 5 prospect, Hao-Yu Lee, a second baseman.

MLB trade grades: Who won the Phillies-Tigers trade for Michael Lorenzen

Philadelphia Phillies trade grade: B

The Phillies’ starting rotation is one of the better ones in the league in terms of ERA, holding the 12th-lowest cumulative rating among starting pitchers (4.14). Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler are at the top of the depth chart, and now Lorenzen easily slides into the top three. Adding an All-Star is pretty good on paper if you are the Phillies. Besides that, Lorenzen has pitched well for Detroit.

This year, Lorenzen recorded a 3.58 ERA, a 1.098 WHIP, 83 strikeouts, and 27 walks over 105.2 innings pitched (18 starts).

If Lorenzen keeps up the pace, this is a solid addition for the Phillies.

Detroit Tigers trade grade: B-

The Tigers managed to get the No. 5 overall prospect from the Phillies in Lee, a free agent signed in 2021. Not just that, but Lee is Philadelphia’s top infield prospect in the farm system.

According to MLB Pipeline, Lee is a good contact hitter and can run the bases effectively.

"“The 5-foot-10 infielder has the chance to be a very good hitter, with a clean swing and an advanced approach at the plate. Lee is a baseball rat who loves to work on his hitting and makes a ton of contact, striking out in just over 19 percent of his 2022 plate appearances while walking 12.3 percent of the time. There’s power in that compact frame and he’s added 10 pounds of muscle to it, which should help him impact the ball even more moving forward.“Lee’s instincts serve him well on the basepaths and defensively. He knows how to steal a base and runs the bases aggressively. He’s played three infield positions thus far and the Phillies plan to continue to have him do so, but he’s probably best suited for second base, with the upside of a big league regular at that spot.”"

This season at High-A, Lee recorded a .283 batting average, a .372 on-base percentage, a .401 slugging percentage, five home runs, 26 RBI, 35 runs scored, 70 hits, 53 strikeouts, 29 walks, and 14 stolen bases in 64 games.

With Lorenzen set to enter free agency after this season, the Tigers landing a top-five prospect from an organization’s farm system is solid. Now, it will be up to the Tigers to develop Lee to ensure that he will be a mainstay in the team’s middle infield.