*Photo from Marca*
They don't want to be wrecked by injuries again, so the motor city is adding pitching depth. The Detroit Tigers and RHP Michael Lorenzen have agreed to a one year, $8.5 million deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Tigers have confirmed.
Due to injuries on the pitching side last season, the Tigers used 17 different pitchers as starters. They want to be as protected as possible entering 2023, so in comes Lorenzen, who has experience both as a starter and relief pitcher. He will get a chance to start with the Tigers, and has another $1.5 million available in bonuses that could push the deal to one year and $10 million.
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said that "Part of the broader strategy here is to strengthen our pitching and defense while we address our offense. Reshaping our offensive identity will take time. It has to take time to achieve that goal. But we believe that the quickest way to stabilize a team is to build a collection of starters who give you a chance to win every night, and build a defense behind those starters who catch the ball every night. I think this is a step in that direction."
Last season was Lorenzen's only year in a Los Angeles Angels uniform. He ended the season with just 18 starts due to injury. In those 18 starts, he posted a 1.28 WHIP, 4.24 ERA, and 4.31 FIP, tossing 97 2/3 innings in the process.
Lorenzen also comes to the Tigers with fairly reasonable experience swinging the bat. He has a .233 batting average and .710 OPS, hitting 7 home runs with 24 RBI's in 147 career plate appearances. However, he was a full time pitcher in 2022, and will stay that way with the Tigers.
Asked about going to the Tigers, Lorenzen said that "Scott did a really good job of calling me and hounding my agent about making me become a Detroit Tiger. The plans that he has for me and for this organization, he sold me. I like to look at big-picture things. I like to make sure the organization is going in the right direction or where it needs to be. Him coming from San Francisco and what they’ve built over there, I just see the vision and I see what he’s trying to create here, and I want to be a part of it."
Over 8 major league seasons, Lorenzen has played for both the Angels and Cincinnati Reds. He has a 4.10 ERA, 4.28 FIP, and 1.36 WHIP, throwing 571 innings while making 44 starts and 269 appearances in relief. He pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings in two appearances in the 2020 Wild Card round.
Harris said of Lorenzen that "A few things sparked my interest. One, Michael is a double-plus athlete. He can do some things on the mound that not very many other starting pitchers can do in our game. I think it helps him make adjustments more easily. And second, Michael can get outs in a variety of ways. He can miss bats, he can induce chase, he can get ground balls, he can induce soft contact, he can keep the ball in the ballpark. We think he’s just scratching the surface as a starter. We think he can get better, and I know Michael thinks he can get better. And we feel like we’re adding a quality person here."
In Detroit, Lorenzen joins a rotation group that includes Eduardo Rodriguez, Spencer Turnbull, and Matt Manning. Tarik Skubal is also expected back in 2023 from surgery, with Beau Brieske and Joey Wentz also in the mix for starts.
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