MLB Rumors: 3 Top Landing Spots for 2023 All-Star Michael Lorenzen

Aside from Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, Michael Lorenzen is the most prominent name in the starting pitcher market still available. He made his first All-Star game last year, put up a career-high 153 innings, and pitched to a 4.18 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP split between the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. In his career, he owns a 4.11 ERA.

He proved he can deliver some pretty good highs as he showed in his first start in Philly last season, tossing a no-hitter.

Michael Lorenzen’s no-hitter in his @Phillies home debut is the No. 9 play of 2023. 😤 pic.twitter.com/kZvMI0LRAK

— MLB (@MLB) December 4, 2023

So where does Lorenzen wind up? He'll make a fine fourth starter in most rotations, and for now, we can see him going to one of these three teams:

Los Angeles Angels

This would be a reunion for Lorenzen, who pitched in Anaheim in the 2022 season. He was quite serviceable, with an 8–6 record, a 4.24 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in 18 starts. The Halos have been looking for help for their rotation, which isn't going to win any Cy Young awards anytime soon, and has a huge hole to fill after the defection of Shohei Ohtani crosstown (of course, he was to miss the 2024 season on the mound anyway after elbow surgery). 

San Francisco Giants

Their rotation is a bit iffy, with No. 1 starter Logan Webb followed by top prospect  Kyle Harrison (who's thrown just 34 innings in the big leagues), and a career reliever  Jordan Hicks, who has just eight major league starts to his credit. They could use a veteran to pick up some innings and solidify the middle-back end of the rotation. 

San Diego Padres

They've shown interest in Lorenzen this winter, and they have an alarmingly shallow rotation, with only Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish and recently-acquired Michael King, who only converted to the starting rotation full-time near the end of last season with the New York Yankees. Lorenzen would fit nicely into one of the two remaining spots in the Padres rotation.

The Boston Red Sox are another team that could be in on the Lorenzen train if their stalled pursuit of Montgomery finally hits a dead end.

Spring training games continue, and this 12-year veteran could offer a nice fit at the back end of many a big league rotation.