The Philadelphia Phillies have more than one free-agent starting pitcher and he might be easier to keep than Aaron Nola.
The Philadelphia Phillies have two free-agent starting pitchers of note. One, Aaron Nola, may be out the door.
The other? Well, that’s an interesting case.
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Michael Lorenzen was a pitcher the Phillies acquired at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers. In his second start with the Phillies he threw a no-hitter. On that alone, it turned out to be a great trade.
But, as the season wore on Lorenzen wore down and he became a bullpen piece for their final weeks of the regular season and the postseason.
But, with pitching always at a premium, is Lorenzen a pitcher the Phillies could bring back for 2024?
Sports Illustrated put together it’s list of the Top 50 free agents of 2024 and Lorenzen made the list. Those rankings also came with a predicted destination for each player.
Well, SI believes that Lorenzen will actually make his way back to the Phillies in 2024, and for good reason:
Lorenzen built upon a promising 2022 campaign—his first as a full-time starter—with an even better ’23 performance. He logged 153 innings, made his first All-Star team and threw a no-hitter. Lorenzen doesn’t miss many bats, but generates enough soft contact and ground balls—while limiting free passes with a 7.5% walk rate—to be effective.
The Phillies would be getting a 31-year-old pitcher that doesn’t have a lot of wear-and-tear for his nine-year career — just 724 innings in 342 appearances (and just 69 starts). He’s only been a full-time starter two seasons and went 9-9 last season. That makes him flexible. He can take a rotation spot, he can take a spot-star spot or he can slide into a long-relief role.
And, unlike other free agents, he could be had for a much cheaper rate than other free-agent starting pitchers. The contract Texas Rangers pitcher Andrew Heaney might be a good template. He signed a two-year deal worth $25 million last offseason, but it came with a second-year team option that the Rangers picked up.
For some security and versatility, Lorenzen might be worth it.