When the Colorado Rockies designated right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen for assignment, the first thought that popped into my head was: He would be a great fit for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Admittedly, this is the second time in the past few weeks I’ve had this thought. Roughly a week before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, there was significant buzz that the Phillies were close to acquiring a pitcher. I did not know and still to this day do not know who that mystery arm was. But I asked a league source about the Lorenzen fit and he responded, “that would make sense.”
The trade, of course, did not happen. Lorenzen stayed in Colorado and is now about to be free to sign with another team. But this is where Philadelphia might come back into play.
Michael Lorenzen reunion could make sense for Phillies
Lorenzen was in Philadelphia in 2023 after being acquired in a midseason trade with the Detroit Tigers. He threw a no-hitter in his first outing with the organization and ultimately pitched in 11 games (47.1 innings). He has familiarity with the front office, specifically president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski — who acquired Lorenzen in 2023. He also knows a good chunk of the roster from his previous stint with the Phillies.
Now, Lorenzen is unlikely to be a savior. He posted a 7.08 ERA in 26 games with the Rockies this season and allowed a career-high 13.1 hits per nine innings. But he’s only one season removed from posting a 4.64 ERA in 26 starts with the Kansas City Royals. He’s only two seasons removed from posting a 3.31 ERA in 26 games with the Texas Rangers and Royals in 2024.
The point being: He’s better than he's pitched this year. Those numbers, and his 4.40 ERA across 12 seasons, underscore that.
Lorenzen, 34, can provide depth and another veteran starter to a Phillies team that could use more options in the rotation and bullpen. Besides, injuries happen, and stockpiling as much depth as possible is never a bad thing. The best-case scenario is that Lorenzen exceeds expectations and pitches well on a prorated veteran's minimum salary for the remainder of the regular season and potentially the postseason. The worst-case scenario is that he struggles and the Phillies part ways.
It’s something that the Phillies should look into. There will surely be other teams interested and poking around the Lorenzen market. He’s surely going to continue pitching in 2026 — it’s just a matter of where.
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