Michael Lorenzen of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with J.T. Realmuto after throwing no-hitter against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 9, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Nationals 7-0. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers signed starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen to a one-year contract worth $4.5 million, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on March 20.
Free-agent right-hander Michael Lorenzen in agreement with Rangers on one-year, $4.5M contract, pending physical, source tells @TheAthletic. Deal includes $2.5M in incentives, maxes out at $7M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 21, 2024
The right-handed pitcher’s deal includes $2.5 million in incentives and maxes out to $7 million when he passes his physical.
Lorenzen, 32, was born in Anaheim, Calif. and has played nine seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds from 2015-21, the Los Angeles Angels in 2022, the Detroit Tigers in 2023, and the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023. He elected free agency on Nov. 2, 2023.
Last season, Lorenzen started out in Detroit playing on a one-year contract worth $8.5 million and made his first All-Star Game. He started the 2023 regular season on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain. He made 18 starts, posting a 5-7 record with a 3.58 ERA and throwing 105.2 innings while allowing 89 hits, 42 earned runs, 11 home runs, 27 walks, 83 strikeouts, and 1.098 WHIP. He was traded to Philadelphia on Aug. 1, 2023 in exchange for second baseman 2B Hao-Yu Lee.
With the Phillies, Lorenzen threw the 14th no-hitter in the organization’s history in his second start against the Washington Nationals on Aug. 9 with his wife Cassi, mother, and daughter in attendance at Citizens Bank Park. Lorenzen went the distance and walked four and struck out five while facing 31 hitters and throwing 124 pitches.
Lorenzen posted a 4-2 record with Philadelphia in 11 appearances and seven starts with a 5.51 ERA, throwing 47.1 innings with one save, allowing 49 hits, 29 earned runs, nine home runs, 20 walks, 28 strikeouts, and a 1.458 WHIP.
In the 2023 postseason, Lorenzen threw 2.2 innings in two games out of the bullpen, allowing two hits, two walks, and struck out one batter while the Phillies lost in the National League Championship Series in seven games to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
During the 2022 season with the Angels, the Fullerton, Calif.-native posted a 8-6 record with a 4.24 ERA in 18 starts throwing 97.2 innings allowing 81 hits, 46 earned runs, 11 home runs, 44 walks, 85 strikeouts, and 1.280 WHIP prior to him electing free agency. Lorenzen had been placed on the 15-day injured list on July 7, 2022, with a right shoulder strain and was later transferred to the 60-day injured list on Aug. 6, 2022.
In his nine seasons in MLB, Lorenzen has a lifetime record of 40-38 with a 4.11 ERA in 342 appearances and 69 starts, throwing 724 innings with 15 saves, allowing 671 hits, 331 earned runs, 83 home runs, 288 walks, 602 strikeouts, and a 1.325 WHIP.
The Rangers will be without key starting pitchers Max Scherzer, Tyler Mahle and Jacob deGrom, so if Lorenzen stays healthy, he will be an option for the Rangers as a starter or long reliever.
The Rangers open the 2024 regular season at home against the Chicago Cubs on March 28 at 7:35 p.m. EST.