December 20: The Tigers have officially announced the signing.
December 14: The Tigers are reportedly in agreement with free agent starter Michael Lorenzen. It’s a one-year, $8.5MM guarantee for the CAA Sports client. The deal, which is pending a physical, also contains $1.5MM in possible incentives.
Lorenzen spent one season in Orange County. Primarily a reliever over seven years with the Reds, he hit the open market for the first time last offseason in search of a rotation opportunity. Lorenzen inked a one-year, $6.75MM pact with the Halos. It was a homecoming for the Anaheim native and Cal State Fullerton product. The season didn’t go entirely as planned, though, as he lost a couple months after suffering a shoulder strain in early July.
The right-hander returned late in the season, making five starts to close out the year. He worked five-plus innings while allowing three or fewer runs in each, finishing his year on a high note despite the Angels being well out of contention. On the season, Lorenzen made 18 starts and tallied 97 2/3 innings — a bit more than 5 1/3 frames per appearance. He pitched to a decent 4.24 ERA while inducing grounders on just over half the batted balls he allowed.
It was a fairly encouraging showing, although Lorenzen’s strikeout and walk marks were a bit worse than average. His 20.7% strikeout rate was a touch below the 21.6% league mark for starters. More concerning was a 10.7% walk percentage that was more than three points higher than average. Of the 153 starters with 70+ innings pitched, only six doled out free passes more frequently than Lorenzen.
Despite his inconsistent strike-throwing, Lorenzen showed enough to intrigue the Tigers to give him a second rotation shot. Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that Detroit plans to use him as a starter. He becomes the second roll of the dice for first-year president of baseball operations Scott Harris and his front office. The Tigers reunited with lefty Matt Boyd on a $10MM guarantee this month, giving him a chance to right the ship after losing much of the 2022 campaign to recovery from flexor surgery.
There are certainly reasons for optimism the 30-year-old Lorenzen (31 next month) could offer solid production out of the rotation. He has a deep arsenal, relying on each of his four-seam, sinker, changeup and slider more than 20% of the time and turning to a cutter for around 10% of his offerings in 2022. His changeup generated plenty of swinging strikes and his sinker was effective both as a swing-and-miss and ground-ball offering.
Lorenzen’s well-rounded arsenal helped him limit opponents to a meager .181/.272/.278 line during their third time through the order this past season, albeit with a fairly modest 17.3% strikeout rate. From a platoon perspective, Lorenzen had similar strikeout rates and plus ground-ball numbers against hitters of either handedness. He nibbled around the strike zone far too often against southpaws, however, walking 14.4% of the left-handed batters he faced.
Boyd and Lorenzen join Eduardo Rodríguez, Matt Manning and Spencer Turnbull in the anticipated season-opening rotation. Tarik Skubal will join the group once healthy, though he’s expected to miss some time after undergoing flexor surgery in August. Joey Wentz, Beau Brieske and Alex Faedo are on hand to compete for depth roles behind that group, while Casey Mize is expected to miss most or all of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer.
There’s substantial upside but also plenty of risk. Turnbull missed all of 2022 recovering from his own TJ procedure. Lorenzen, Boyd, Manning and Rodríguez lost huge stretches of the year, and Lorenzen hasn’t topped 20 starts since his 2015 rookie campaign in Cincinnati. It’s possible the Tigers look for another arm to add some stable innings to the mix, but the acquisitions of Boyd and Lorenzen suggest Harris’ staff prioritized upside over floor in their rotation pickups. That’s a sensible approach, as Detroit faces an uphill path to contention in 2023. If Boyd and/or Lorenzen can stay healthy and pitch well in the season’s first half, they’d likely be more desirable trade targets to a contender than a lower-upside innings eater would be.
With Lorenzen on the books, Detroit’s 2023 projected player payroll now sits around $124MM at Roster Resource. That’s still below this past season’s $135MM Opening Day mark, so the front office should have the freedom to identify a few more lower-cost targets of interest. Adding at catcher, third base and in the corner outfield could all be under consideration after the Tigers hit a woeful .231/.286/.346 this year.
Robert Murray of FanSided first reported the Tigers were in agreement with Lorenzen. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic was first to report it was a one-year, $8.5MM guarantee with $1.5MM in performance incentives.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Helps with their offense too. If you’re the Tigers, you could do worse than putting him in the OF a day or two a week.
He hits dingers.
Yep, hit him cleanup.
That’s right! Is he officially a two-way player? He’d help with the active roster breakdown that way.
No. He’d have to start playing OF or at least DH for a while. There are standards to meet on both sides of the ball.
Halos-Are there though with the Tigers? Let him rake! Let him rake!
LAA just lost one of its better pitchers to the Tigers? You’re breaking my heart…
They were doing well in the off season until now.
Lost what? Lol
surprised he got more than last year after throwing under 100 innings but, good for him.
What?
No loss here.
He was a good 4th, 5th starter type last year. His numbers spiked off several starts right before going on the IL. Good roll of the dice for Detroit.
Following the Angels must really warp one’s perception of how good a pitcher actually is. Angels can and should aim higher than Lorenzen.
Following the Halos warps my entire sense of reality not merely how I perceive good pitching.
They did. The Angels rotation was good last season, 6th best in MLB, They got better by subtraction by not signing Lorenzen. Even if Anderson is closer to his career averages than his 2022 numbers, he is better than Lorenzen.
How did the dude get a raise after the meh suboptimal season he just logged? So salaries can only go up , not down, even if your numbers regressed???
He was the worst starter on the staff last season. Halos fans will not miss him one bit.
Not a bad addition to the team at all. I think this means the Tigers are looking to trade at least a couple of pitchers (I’ll guess Eduardo Rodriguez and Gregory Soto). Right now, the Tigers have about three or four extra pitchers, there’s not enough room on a 26 man roster for all of them.
Maybe but certainly not a given. There is actually more than enough room on the roster for Lorenzen and the rest of the pitchers on the 40 man. Tigers like many teams suffered plenty of pitching injuries last year. Plus many of their guys are young enough and have options left so they can pitch in the minors as well. Tigers might trade Soto or ERod but would be selling low, especially on ERod.
It’s a given. There’s no way to know for sure who they’ll get rid of, but trades will be made. They still need a third baseman, and there’s no worthwhile free agents. They might very well trade for an outfielder as well.
Also, this would be the perfect time to trade Soto. It’s unlikely that he’ll ever be worth more than he is right now. As for Rodriguez, if he has a good season in 2023, he’ll opt out. If he has another disappointing year. they could be stuck with a bad contract. Time to unload him.
Again doubling down on poor reasoning regarding Erod. His numbers were at career averages last year, his injury was early in the season, and his family issue was a one time thing. He’s a solid lefty starter in a hot pitcher’s market, so he has good value. If he pitches well, he’s opting out. If he pitches poorly, we’re stuck with him, so now is the time to trade him. Trading him at the dead line just isn’t worth the risk because we don’t know who will be available and will lose leverage because he’s walking and that makes him less valuable to trade partners. What are you not getting here?
You’re always overconfident in your opinions. Learn a little humility; truly intelligent people understand they don’t know everything and have the self awareness to not be arrogant.
Arrogant? That word describes you perfectly.
Soto is a good trade candidate.
I would trade Meadows also.
Get a few, young position players from the Dodgers AAA team
that have been blocked from the major league team”
Miguel Vargas (3b/OF)
Andy Pages OF
Michael Busch INF
etc…
Posted a 1.1WAR last year, so this contract comes in close to the going rate of $8M per 1 WAR. He was exclusively a starter last year and this contract suggests the Tigers see him slotting into the rotation with ERod, Boyd, Manning, and Turnbull. But he has also worked out of the pen so he could easily end up being a swing man if need be. Not a horrible signing but not the sexy type a lot of Tigers fans are dreaming of.
To date this offseason, the cost per point of WAR for FA is $10.175 million. As the last few FA gets signed that might drop a couple hundred thousand. Will still end up really close to $10 million.
You all make good points. Actually, I was thinking depth like the writers until this. Then, the OP made me think…they might be stockpiling for a bat!! The last guy mentioned Meadows being traded. I hope they don’t! At least not after last season. I think he’ll actually play this season and probably be our best hitter.
Okay don’t hate it
I was about to say it’s a steal, assuming the price level. It turns out, 8.5 is not quite as great a deal as I had expected. He is above average, but it seemed to me that peripherals got guys paid, not ERA since they predict future performance and ERA measures past performance.
What about Thor? Down 4mph on his FB and – what – 23% K-rate but still got a nice pillow deal.
I think it is an okay deal, given the market. If Martin Perez gets 19.65 million, he is a steal at that rate. He is basically Jon Gray for 3 fewer years.
I don’t think Thor’s deal is that bad, just interesting. Also, LAD can afford to pay a little more than others to prevent multi-year deals, especially knowing their great record of getting most out of projects (i.e. Tyler Anderson, Evan Phillips, etc.).
Decent enough this year. Teams paid more money and more years and might not get much better production if.
Thought the White Sox might try to snag him as a 2-way player to save some coin. Dollar store Ohtani.
The Tigers have made more moves than the wsox, the alleged powerhouse of the ALC according to sports geniuses who knows little about teams not based in NY or LA. A pitcher that finished with an ERA over 4 and walks a lot of batters is too good for the Sox to pursue. After all, he’s no Clevinger.
Damn. Was hoping he’d be back in Anaheim.
The Anaheim Angels > Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim > now the Los Angeles Angels
I’m glad someone reminded them where they came from.
They “came from” from Los Angeles, which was their original name. Then they moved 30 miles south to Anaheim in 1966, where they’ve been playing ever since.
Also, in the late ‘60s to the early ‘90s they were simply known as the California Angels.
And also the California Angels.
Bite your tongue. Nobody in the Angels rotation was worse last season, Anderson is better, and Canning and Rodriguez are returning for some depth.
Not an awful addition but this team really needs some offense….specifically a 3B and a RH OF.
Like what was mentioned in the Tigers Off-season Targets article, any combo of Adam Frazier, Edwin Rios, and/or Brian Anderson would be fine choices imo.
Rios interests me a little more, because of team control and age. Quite frankly he was buried in the depths in LA. So who knows?
Frazier has been nothing more than Harold Castro 2.0 the past two seasons, no thanks. Wouldn’t mind a chance on Rios or Anderson. Really would love to swing a trade with TB to acquire Brandon Lowe since they have a plethora of infielders.
I honestly don’t know much about Lowe. Has he been frequently hurt throughout his career? He’s averaging less than half a season per year.
Only played 65 games last year due to injuries but played 149 in 2021 with a .863 OPS and 39 HR’s. Natural 2B so Schoop would have to move to 3B. Wishful thinking.
Tigers need to play their young players at the MLB level to
find out which are keepers and which are trade bait.
Brandon Drury still available in free agency.
Harris seems to want offensive players that will take a walk. That’s not Drury.
Drury is coming off a good season but I’m getting the feeling Harris has no intention of committing to a multi-year contract for a 3B free agent. He may work out a trade soon or just wait it out and see what Kreidler and Malloy (the guy he just traded for) can do in Spring Training first.
One down, and a few more needs to go.
Like Boyd, they bring in an established pitcher on a one year deal. Hopefully it’s because they believe the young pitchers they have will pan out into a good staff in a year or so.
Right on. Welcome aboard Lorenzen
Over the last three years, Lorenzen was a mediocre pitcher at best. The Tigers have enough young pitcher who they should develop instead of having a stopgap signing eat innings. I don’t dislike the player, but this signing does not make any sense at all for the Tigers.
Gruß,
BSHH
It makes sense only if they’re going to trade more pitchers, and I believe they will.
@BSSSH
I agree that it makes little sense. I would have preferred Brieske, Faedo or Wentz getting developed in the rotation. $8.5MM would have been better used for the offense. It looks like Harris may be looking to trade one or more of them instead. It would be a disservice to the team to undo the building that Avila completed. There is no more valuable commodity than young, controllable pitching.
I still say that there’s a good chance that Eduardo Rodriguez and/or Gregory Soto gets traded this off-season.
I agree that it doesn’t make sense in how it’s presented in the article but that didn’t mean the tigers will use him that way.
He’s much better than mediocre, but he’d also be WAY better as an opener than a starter. Put him down to open every 5th day w a 2/3 inning max and he’ll last and be productive all year.
He’s never gonna pitch 150+ innings. If tigers know that and use him wisely – he’ll have a good season
That way he’ll never be credited with a win. All he could get is losses.
A decent pitcher and a decent hitter.
It’s a good day to be a former halo hurler.
Just waiting on the Bartolo Colon news now.
Colon should be finishing his HR trot any day now.
As a Guardians fan, I am shaking between this and the Boyd signing
They gotta start somewhere. Harris isn’t done yet.
We got a new GM. We’re basically starting over….even if they’re not saying that. This guy Harris is going to build the team he wants. So, the Tigers won’t be contenders for awhile now. Man I miss Mike Ilitch.
I don’t know anything about this player. I hope for the best.
I am surprised, because the Tigers would be paying a minimum penalty against the QO, that they didn’t dive into the QO market, offer some signing bonuses, and come up with some real tradable contracts. But, I guess the bigboys came out swinging and I wouldn’t want us in that fight either. This appears to be the “diamond in the rough” strategy. Nothing wrong with that and this guy has experience and not so raw.
Does the new GM savor those picks and international money so highly?
I always thought when they were tanking that was actually the best time to spend money and trade guys…keep the fans engaged…sell some merch…..fans get to follow the guys after they leave….follow the prospects you got…..root for contending teams in the playoffs when the eventual happens……
BUT NO…..
A lot of people in Tiger management really DO NOT understand the fan experience……
That wasn’t worded very well.
Go Tigers!
And…just like Al….no team option, not a valuable signing…just let this player showcase his talents on the MLB stage, with no tangible benefits for the team….
But if course, we get to see him play…
I kinda hoped the Reds might bring Mikey Biceps back, he would have made for a good fourth or fifth starter..
I’m with you plus he can play outfield in a pinch! Especially with Senzel hurt so much. Not a bad hitter either.
They could have matched or exceeded that contract he got.
Sad that the Tigers have signed more starting pitchers than the Red Sox at this point
Dude, that’s more than just sad…..
I was sure the A’s were gonna get him. Seemed like a good financial and temp fit
Lorenzen should have been an Angels re-sign.
I agree Prov. He wasn’t amazing by any stretch but there was a sense of consistency that I felt from him up until and just before the injury. I was hoping for the resign and a bounce back to what we saw early from him.
Always liked dealing for Ohtani, him, and Brendan McKay on The Show a few years back.
Hope he does well for the Tigers.
Was high on my list for Orioles realistic options.l
Another starter who takes two month vacations during the season…he’ll fit right in with Boyd. Can we have Al Avila back as GM please?
Good signing. I had hoped my Jays would get them.
As an Angels fan I was hoping he would return as our # 5 or 6th SP.
$8.5 million is what some 6 and 7th inning relief pitchers are going for. He will exceed last year’s numbers as it was a big jump from the pen the SP. I see 160 innings, bump in K percentage, and a 500 record. Take away a few bad starts before his IR stint his ERA would have been similar to Thor, 3.8 era.
Since everyone here seems to think Eduardo Rodriguez will be traded, I’ll throw the Padres into the hat..Rodriguez for Kim..straight up..
Padres have a young shortstop drafted in ’21, Jackson Merrill
who could be a good get to play on the big league team in ’24 or ’25.
Padres are loaded with SSs.
If they could interest the Padres in a reliever or a starter?
Starter Sean Manea was just signed by the Giants for 2 years 25M
His ERA in ’22 was 4.95
That is 12M X 2 years.
Boyd accepted a below market deal
and was shorted at least a few million.
Eduardo Rodriguez won’t be traded. No one wants someone who quit his team.
I’ve never seen anything like what he did. He clearly violated his contract and should have been released. Now they’re in a panic about him opting out after the year to get the big money. Is anybody in charge of this franchise and who might it be?
Ben Zobriat left the team for personal reasons.
I remember something like Robin Yount once quit the Brewers to play professional golf in his early days.
Funny thing that…before all the investments in analytics and coaching, training, physical life coaching ect. Ect ect….
And still not know very well, if they can play in the MLB?
I think the ability to evaluate has diminished since.the implementation of all.these wonderful analytics…..
I agree….the stat geeks and Charlie Lau garbage about hitting almost destroyed the game. Luckily, the commissioner is old-school enough to see what the shifts were doing to the game and banned them…..otherwise you’d be paying $500 for a bleacher seat with ten other people.
Oh boy the rebuild continues. Would anybody like to be venture a guess on how many wins the Tigers will have this year?
64
Oh boy the rebuild continues. Would anybody like to be venture a guess on how many wins the Tigers will have this year
I just don’t see Eduardo Rodriguez getting traded, at least not before the trade deadline. He’s at his low in trade value. Also, with Turnbull and Boyd returning from injuries, and Faedo, Manning, Brieske and Wentz all being young and not yet used to the major league grind, he is the only starter that can save the bullpen early in the season. If he starts out well, but the team does not, I can see a trade once he has recovered his value.
I don’t see what Harris might be up to…if anything. The idea of the rebuild was to ditch the high salaried players, tank, draft well, and then play the kids with a sprinkling of veteran players to add stability. What nobody counted on was Hinch/Coolbaugh destroying the entire lineup with their lunatic “let the pitch get deep” baloney, and watching guys like Torkelson try to change a lifetime of timing a fastball. They just hired a new batting coach who never even got to A ball apparently with Hinch’s blessing. Nobody has jumped at the chance to hire Coolbaugh so far….I wonder why? Hinch likes to cover his tracks so is a Torkelson trade in the works? If the shift banning doesn’t change AJ’s mind, expect a hundred losses and a new manager by the All Star game..
It’s one thing to be tight lipped, it’s another to just not do anything at all……
I think, well, it must be something big…..
Then I remember, that was a terrible, terrible movie…..
Hire the Superfife, Mr Harris.
You need the help.
I told a long time White Sox fan about Hinch’s “let the pitch get deep for more fly balls” and he looked at me with a blank stare. I laughed and asked him what he thought doing that against an MLB pitcher might result in. He thought for a minute and said “strikeouts and popups”. Exactly and it did. The Tigers were LAST in MLB hitting fastballs in 2022 with a lineup full of fastball hitters. Hinch is still manager…..why?
JFC, our offense was atrocious!! When you gunna concentrate on that, clueless new guy??
Putting Miggy on the bench vs, RHP instead of In the middle of the order would be a good way to start addressing the lack of offense.
Whew!! Halos dodged a bullet, Thought for sure he was coming back to Anaheim.