The Philadelphia Phillies announced on Tuesday afternoon that they acquired veteran starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen from the Tigers in exchange for minor-league prospect Hao-Yu Lee. In a corresponding move, Philadelphia designated Josh Harrison for assignment to make room for Lorenzen on the 40-man roster.
Lorenzen has quietly put together a solid 2023 campaign on a Detroit team that has a record of 47-59. The 31-year-old All-Star pitcher had a 5-7 record, 3.58 ERA, and 83 strikeouts in 105.2 innings in 18 starts with the Tigers. The right-handed pitcher will be a solid addition to the Phillies’ starting rotation, which is ranked 12th in starter’s ERA (4.15) in the majors this season.
Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reported on Tuesday afternoon that Lorenzen will start on Thursday as the team will deploy a six-man rotation until at least the next off day. A six-man starting rotation could benefit the Phillies, as Aaron Nola (138 innings pitched, second-most in the majors) and Zack Wheeler (125 innings pitched) have logged a lot of innings this season.
Philadelphia hopes they can strike gold for a second-straight year at the deadline. Last season, they acquired veteran starter Noah Syndergaard, who gave them quality innings down the stretch and into the postseason. Lorenzen has pitched well since the All-Star break, posting a 1.45 ERA and .164 OBA in his last three starts.
