Blue Jays take low-risk gamble on former All-Star discarded by Rockies

With the Toronto Blue Jays desperate for pitching help as a result of a rash of injuries to their staff in recent weeks, they decided to take a gamble on a former All-Star to help their cause. On Thursday, the Blue Jays signed veteran pitcher Michael Lorenzen to a one-year deal. Lorenzen was previously designated for assignment and released by the Colorado Rockies earlier in August.

In a corresponding move, Toronto optioned reliever Chad Dallas back down to Triple-A Buffalo and moved outfielder Jonatan Clase to the 60-day IL to make room for Lorenzen on the Jays’ active and 40-man roster respectively.

The Blue Jays currently have a starting four of Dylan Cease, Max Scherzer, José Soriano and Spencer Arrighetti. With a taxed bullpen, it was only a matter of time when they would look for reinforcements. In Lorenzen, Toronto is getting a multi-faceted pitcher with extensive experience as both a starter and a reliever in his 12 years in the majors.

This season, the 34-year-old may have struggled mightily with the Rockies, compiling a dismal 3-11 record with a 7.08 ERA, 1.88 WHIP. He gave up a league-high 91 earned runs including 19 home runs in 115.2 innings of work. Those are easily the worst numbers of his MLB career.

There may be more to Michael Lorenzen’s ugly numbers than meets the eye

However, a lot of that likely had to do with the hitters’ haven that he faced pitching at Coors Field. Lorenzen has amassed a respectable lifetime ERA of 4.40 to go along with a 1.37 WHIP. He's totaled 908 strikeouts in 1111.2 innings. Not to mention, the bulk of his best numbers came during his stints in the American League, including an All-Star season in 2023 with the Detroit Tigers. As a result, a return to the AL could be exactly what the doctor ordered to get his game back on track.

The Blue Jays must be quite desperate by the fact that Lorenzen was promptly used for his Toronto debut in the 13-2 shellacking by the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night. The 34-year-old veteran pitched two innings, giving up one earned run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

But in the bigger picture, Lorenzen should be able to help the Blue Jays with their bullpen workload as he could provide bulk innings in relief. In addition, given that he had been stretched out as a starter already this season for the Rockies, he could easily slot into the Blue Jays’ rotation if needed to avoid a bullpen game every fifth day.

And if Toronto is even more desperate, Lorenzen could be called upon for some offense at the plate as well, given he has posted a .233 average, .710 OPS along with seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 147 career plate appearances as a hitter in the majors. But if it really came to that, the Blue Jays would be in big trouble.

If Lorenzen can rediscover his game prior to his stint with the Rockies, the Blue Jays would suddenly have a valuable arm at their disposal heading into the final month of the season.

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