TODAY: Manager Phil Nevin told reporters (including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) that the MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage to Lorenzen’s shoulder. The plan is for Lorenzen to start a throwing program after he finishes getting treatment.
JULY 7: The Angels announced that they have placed starter Michael Lorenzen on the 15-day injured list due to a right shoulder strain. The move is retroactive to July 4. Right-hander Jose Marte has been recalled to take his spot on the active roster.
Lorenzen, 30, had spent his entire career with the Reds until reaching free agency last year. Cincy had used him primarily as a relief pitcher, though Lorenzen went into the open market hoping for an opportunity to join a starting rotation. The Angels stepped up and gave him that chance, signing him to a one-year, $6.75MM deal. So far, he’s made 13 starts and thrown 71 innings. In that time, he has an 18.1% strikeout rate, 9.9% walk rate and 51.9% ground ball rate. All told, he has a 4.94 ERA, though advanced metrics are a little more bullish, with Lorenzen having a 4.57 SIERA and 4.46 FIP.
Those numbers probably belie how effective Lorenzen has been, as his last three starts have been awful, perhaps due to this shoulder ailment starting to crop up. Those three turns resulted in 16 earned runs, causing those numbers to shoot upwards. Up until that point, he had a 3.69 ERA, 4.46 SIERA and 3.82 FIP.
The Angels haven’t provided a timeline for Lorenzen’s absence but more information should be forthcoming in the days ahead. Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic was among those to relay that Lorenzen is headed for the MRI machine soon. But regardless of the length of his absence, this situation has the potential for significant ramifications. For the Angels, they are losing a solid member of their starting rotation at a key time. The club is 38-45, seven games back of the Blue Jays for the final AL Wild Card spot, with five teams in between them. The August 2 trade deadline is now just over three weeks away, meaning the club will have to make some tough decisions about how to approach it.
Though the club would surely love to climb back into the race, they will now have to do so without Lorenzen. If they are unable to get hot in the next few weeks, they will have to give consideration to flipping players with short windows of control. With the demand for starting pitching seeming to be outpacing the supply, any serviceable starting pitcher will be highly sought after. The Angels have both Noah Syndergaard and Lorenzen on one-year deals, making them logical candidates to be moved in the coming weeks, though this injury could perhaps scuttle the chances of a Lorenzen deal. Even if he is able to return to health and rejoin the team before the deadline, the injury concern will likely reduce the return that the Angels are able to demand in any deal.
FREE MIKE TROUT
“Hello China? i think i have something you may want, but it’s gonna cost you. Thats right, all the tea”
Free Mike Trout with the purchase of first Mike Trout.
2012 – You can’t free someone who chose to play in Anaheim.
This. I don’t understand why people all act like Trout is a victim here. He chose to take the money and stay there.
The “trade Trout” crowd are people who don’t understand contracts and no trade clauses and really much of anything having to do with loyalty and committment of a player.
Loyalty?? Like to Vlad,or Ryan,or Sosh or Maddon,or Tori or Upton or or or I could go on.. Loyalty is never
And HAS ever been a factor in baseball
Yes it has.
FREE ANGEL FANS.
Trout to the Dodgers for
Mitch White, Bobby Miller, Cody Bellinger, and Angel’s choice of one of the following: (Pepiot, May, Vargas)
Who says no?
Angels, and it’s not even close.
Take Cody away and make it two of Pepiot May Pages and Vargas
Because Cody is a negative in this type of deal
tstats – “I” am already giving them 2 top 100 prospects and a major league ready pitcher AND taking all of Trout’s contract. They can non-tender Cody after this season and free up even more money and spread it around the field for more balanced talent.
Bobby Miller is less than a year away, Pepiot is ready now, and we all know what Dustin May brings to the table.
Not to mention Vargas is a hitting machine.
I think my original offer is fair lol
Dodgers say No, they can sign Tre for free in the offseason for the same price whoes younger and fills a position more of need to the org
The package for Trout would be less than most Imagine – SD could make it work if Angels took back Hosmer and Pom and maybe even Kim –
Abrams Gore Hassell and Grisham w extra small goodies with no owed monies at the end for taking on Hos/Pom early.
Trout {*might} waive his NTC to go just 75 miles south but still hard to imagine. Arte Moreno would be an obstacle as well. I think all parties could walk away from a SD/Ana trade happy if Trout signed off . Ohtani would be next ofc in this scenario
That’s funny Cap Crunch. There have been many articles about a possible Trout trade the last 2 years and all have said any trade for Trout would start with the 4 top prospects in any system, ANY system, and may need to include more talent beyond that. Arte would be in 100% control of any trade of Trout. Minassian would have very little say.
The only thing right in Trout is that, u projected in San Diego. Other than that, not so much. He’s not going anywhere.
Also, Ohtani’s not going anywhere till next seasons deadline. You can get Almost then, even for 1 stretch run.
bruin – “Who says no?”
Probably Mike Trout.
prov – are you sure about that?
Trout is the Angels franchise and signed for the next decade, it would take much more than that to get Trout. Remember the Angels don’t actually have to move Trout’s contract and Trout is not a clubhouse cancer like ARod when Texas shipped him to New York for Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias to get rid of both player and contract
Arod wasn’t ever considered a cancer in the clubhouse. You may not like him but several players mentioned over the years what a good teammate he was.
bruin – Yes I am based on his no-trade clause.
Arod was always considered a cancer in the clubhouse. One of the worst in modern baseball. bleacherreport.com/articles/1725262-ranking-baseba…
Or read Joe Torre’s book. He lays it out and doesn’t mince words.
We don’t need cast offs or iffy players from the Dodgers.
Start with Cartaya, Miller, Pages, and a top pitching prospect like Pepiot. Then add Lux. Maybe, just maybe, Arte does not immediately hang up the phone. Yes, it would be Arte on the phone, because there is no universe in which he allows his GM to trade away Trout. Arte and Arte alone will make that decision.
….and Chester Copperpot…
Oswald Cobblepot
The idea that Mike Trout needs to be “set free” is utterly ridiculous. I love watching Trout. A true generational talent……who chose to sign a lifetime contract with the Angels. No one made him. I wanna see him play in the playoffs, but unless the Angels figure it out, it’s just not gonna happen, because he isn’t going anywhere.
Ty Roy, Trout definitely has a run at next year, with small Tweeks. I thought it was this year, but not. That said, it won’t happen unless the players they have now don’t bounce back.
At this time next year someone on the Angels will get hurt and we will be having this exact same conversation. Same as last year or the past five years before that
RSox, never question an non playoff team the next year, expeially a team with talent. Mets 101 this year. 😉
That could be from anywhere from underachievers, to injured players. That’s the whacked thing is, the talent is there….
End of story, losing way to many close games. Those things fluctuate year end and year out.
and Othani!
He’ll be gone after 2023 why stay with that awful franchise
It’s not going to change until Arte Moreno either sells the team or he removes himself from decision making (not going to happen). The problems lie within the organization, top to bottom, and that’s how a guy like Tyler Skaggs can die from drugs provided to him by an Angels executive or how opposing pitchers could blank the Angels at home because their equipment manager was proving the opposition with magic grip for the mound.
A friend of mine knows Albert Pujols and on his way out, he said the organization is an absolute mess. Sour grapes maybe, but the proof is on the field.
Natural reaction was to see if they were letting lorenzen bat on occasion. I was disappointed
Lorenzen pinch hitting would of been a guarantee.if it weren’t for the Ohtani rule this year.imo
Of course.
Knowing the Angels here’s the course:
He’s day to day, just a little sore
Going on the IL as a precaution, will be back soon
Season over
That’s not surprising. The Reds tried to make him a starter 3 times before this, same result each time.
Just because Lorenzen wants to be starter, it doesn’t mean that he should be a starter.
So Marte is our best depth piece…yikes.
He’s not even a starter.. so are the games he’s starting going to be bullpen ?
Word is that Reid Detmers is with the club and might be called up to join the rotation again.
I figured this would come up eventually. Stretching a reliever into a starter is always risky. He did a fine job for the most part.
Instead of “Free Mike Trout”, “Trade Ohtani”, the easier solution is upgrade the bottom of the roster.
The top 2-3 guys aren’t the problem, it’s players #21-27 that aren’t mlb starter level. Raise the floor of the talent.
Absolutely. The lack of depth and bottom half of the lineup is the problem. So is the bullpen but several of those guys have to regress to the mean and get better.
There aren’t any replacements in AAA or AA. Arte has a payroll limit of $190 million with $70 million tied up in Trout and Rendon.
The best way to add depth is to trade a key piece or two. Outfield market should be hot and Taylor Ward is balling and cost controlled. Thor might net a catcher or bullpen arm.
The Angels won’t trade Ohtani but a package of Lux, Miller, May would net us 2 key rotation pieces and a much needed infielder.
Best way to add depth is to increase the payroll to $225m a few years. $170-190 won’t cut it. To win NOW they gotta spend at it slightly above the CBT for 2-3 years. It’s a real $$$$$ commitment.
Sign 2-3 free agent to upgrade MLB roster spots
Make smart trades to add depth to the MLB roster or upgrade the farm system.
Surround Trout and Ohtani with above average supporting cast. > +2-4 WAR starters. NOT below replacement level “starters” as they currently have.
The Halos have never had a FO capable of “upgrading the bottom of the roster”. If not for lucking into drafting Trout and having Ohtani choose them, they’d be worst in the league with the rest of the roster they constructed.
Yes. Arte constructs teams like an off Broadway play. A couple of high paid stars and as cheap as possible on the supporting cast.
They’ve actually had much better front offices that did a lot to upgrade the bottom of the roster. Pretty much from the late 1970’s through (probably) 2014, they constantly made an effort to do that, and their success mainly hinged on how much quality starting pitching they had. This is really the first time in their history that they’ve gone an entire decade without good pitching. Angels were once an organization that revolved around developing pitching. Sometimes too much though, which is why you’ll see Nolan Ryan with near .500 W-L records during his tenure until Gene Autry finally opened his wallet… in the late 1970’s. But then you’ll see Angels teams in the 1990’s that just missed the playoffs because they couldn’t find much starting pitching behind Mark Langston and Chuck Finley. The best periods in Angels history correlate with drafting and developing good starting pitching, particularly in the 1980’s and the 2000’s.
Facts! To some of the above, but “You Want The Truth”? This team constructed coming in, is a winning team.
The problem: “Look in the mirror”. The players are at fault, and I’ll stick to that. Outside the big 2, all other supporting players/pitchers are having sub/bad years.
Another huge factor: “losing 1 run games”. this team is way more talented than last years M’s, they won 91. Absolute zero clutch factor in close games. In hits or pitching.. game over, and LOOK IN THE MIRROR PLAYERS.
BTW: my easy prediction was, the better and improved M’s team this year, with there pretty solid improvements. Won’t win as many games as last year.
The bottom line: boarder line playoff teams fluctuate in close games. That’s when they make it or not. The M’s over achieved so much that, it was an easy pick with less wins. 1 run win Boyz, it could be the difference in 71 or 91 wins.
They’d be foolish to do so but better off trading Trout considering the age curve…
The Angels are paying Upton and Syndergaard a combined $53 million this year?
Ohtani wants 40? Pay the man. Its a bargain…
The tough-luck angels
Just another 1 yr swing and miss for Minasian/Angels. He hadnt thrown over 83 innings in 7 yrs so i dont know what their expectations were.
Couple Trout and Rendon to get rid of Rendons terrible contract..Get 2 top prospects,and try and trade Ohtabi for Vlad Jr..Bring up Sam Bachman Probably won’t work ,but nothing ever does for my Angels!
So to recap: trade Trout, Ohtani, and Rendon for Vlad Jr. and two prospects.
Okay, got it.
Ohtani for Vladdy Jr? I’d pull the trigger on that. Bachman has been on the DL. But Ky Bush might be ready for his MLB debut later this season.
I think the 6 man rotation puts everything out of sync..Back in the 60s & 70s they had 4 man rotations 10 to 20 complete games by pitchers,and Dl..or politically correct IL was way less prevalent.
I’m with you. I hate the Angels’ 6-man rotation and hoped the team would do away with it after Maddon was fired. It’s less starts from Ohtani, Syndergaard, and Sandoval, and more starts from the likes of Silseth, Suarez (who’s inconsistent), or an opener like Herget or Rosenberg.
I thought the 6 man rotation was to accommodate Ohtani’s routine. This always has been a concern for me because of its impact on the whole SP staff.
It was..Maybe it’s time to have him get used to a 5 man rotation..Granted He is doing so much now,but perhaps spell him at DH the day before he pitches..
Montas, Mahle, Lorenzen all to the IL. Pitching market is thinning by the day.
Don’t forget Hendricks. Right now, Jose Quintana and Luis Castillo look like the only guys on the trade market who are healthy and have an ERA/FIP below 3.50.
2 Top Prospects and a TON of payroll reduction and a smart rebuild.Let me ask you..What are we accomplishing with what we have..other than selling jerseys..In case ya haven’t noticed,it isn’t working.
Selling tickets. People come to see Trout play. Win or lose, people are there because he is on the team. It will take a heck of a lot more than 2 top prospects for any team to get Trout.
Yeah..Wonder how the Cards would have liked to unload Pujols for two top 10 prospects for a regressing Pujold
Fairly convinced now that this franchise will never be playoff-bound again if it’s under the ownership of Arte Moreno.
Angels should’ve never traded Jim Edmonds.
Hahaha yeah that didn’t work out…
Except they won the WS in 2002 with Adam Kennedy from that trade.
That curse has been busted.
He beat Minn by himself. 3 hr game!
They waved the white flag when they fired Maddon.
Minasian should be held responsible for this season and that move as well…nothing good has come of it. Chaos has compounded…
Anaheim, the place pitchers arms go to die.
Speaking of his time with the Angels, Mike Trout’s like, “we rode off on the women, and draped horses!”
The Angels young players were not ready, their bullpen was atrocious, Rendon got hurt, Walsh took a huge step back. Their catcher has taken a huge step back. . They don’t have a 3rd baseman, 2nd baseman. shortstop, catcher or left fielder.
The Angels have very few solid big league players. I don’t trust their owner, GM, manager, or coaching staff. Other than that they are in great shape.
Lol..Spot on analysis!
I ate a couple of stadium hotdogs last month that were pretty tasty.
Who trades for Syndergaard?
Toronto or Cleveland
Stassi’s pitch calling is just horrendous. Who the eff would sign him on a long term contract!