The Toronto Blue Jays look to be adding a reinforcement just in time as they chase the final American League Wild Card spot, as the longtime veteran Michael Lorenzen has arrived in Toronto with the Blue Jays, according to a Thursday report by Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
Lorenzen, 34, was designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies on August 17 and released two days later after going 3-11 with a 7.08 ERA over 26 starts, the worst full season of his 12-year career, allowing MLB-highs in earned runs with 96 and hits allowed with 168.
His struggles could be summed up as pitching in a hitter-friendly ballpark at Coors Field, where his ERA ballooned to 9.12 at home, compared to 5.61 while on the road.
His time with Colorado ended after an underwhelming run, and he signed an $8 million, one-year deal over the winter. Now Lorenzen is seemingly on his way to his seventh club with the Blue Jays, following stops with the Reds, Angels, Tigers, Phillies, Rangers and Royals. He made his only All-Star team with Philadelphia in 2023 and also threw a no-hitter against Washington that August.
Now, whether Toronto finalizes anything remains to be seen, but a veteran arm for next to nothing carries little downside for the club that’s looking to shore up its bullpen. Lorenzen has pitched to a 3.73 ERA in relief over 277 games, better than his 4.71 ERA as a starter. That versatility alone could prove useful no matter how the Blue Jays choose to deploy him.
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Toronto will wrap up their three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, before welcoming the Seattle Mariners to Rogers Centre on Friday.
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