Phillies acquire All-Star starter Michael Lorenzen from Tigers
Lorenzen, 31, was a first-time All-Star this season, starting 18 games for Detroit while compiling a 3.58 ERA. The nine-year veteran will be joining his third team in three seasons as he signed with Detroit this year after playing for the Angels in 2022. He has a career 4.02 ERA as both a starter and reliever.
“We appreciate Tigers fans and the city and the staff here,” Lorenzen said before leaving the visiting team’s clubhouse in Pittsburgh, where Detroit plays on Tuesday night. “They followed through on their promise for me: ‘You’re gonna come here, we’re gonna make you better.’ They definitely did that. I told [general manager] Scott [Harris] on the phone, ‘You followed through, and I appreciate that.'”
The Phillies rank 12th in starter’s ERA and could use an innings-eater after making it to the World Series last year. Both Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler have logged a lot of innings over the past two seasons at the top Philadelphia’s rotation.
Second-base prospect Hao-Yu Lee is going to Detroit in the deal.
The Phillies are in a logjam of wild-card contenders in the National League after a slow start and should benefit from Lorenzen, who despite his 5-7 record, has 83 strikeouts and a 1.10 WHIP this season. He allowed three runs in five innings in his last start, a 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels last Thursday.
The Phillies, who outlasted the Miami Marlins 4-2 Monday night, begin Tuesday in the No. 2 wild-card spot in the NL, a half-game behind the San Francisco Giants.
Manager Rob Thomson told reporters, before Tuesday’s game in Miami, that Lorenzen will probably start on Thursday in the series finale, and that his club will install a six-man rotation for the time being.