Free agent Michael Lorenzen has primarily been a pitcher in his profession however has often dabbled in hitting and enjoying the outfield. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic experiences that Lorenzen and his agent, Ryan Hamill of CAA, are pitching him as a two-way participant for the upcoming season. Nonetheless, the concept isn’t actually to promote Lorenzen as a viable hitter, however to get across the roster guidelines that restrict what number of pitchers a crew can have.
Main League Baseball instituted a rule in June of 2022 limiting golf equipment to 13 pitchers on a 26-man roster. When rosters broaden to twenty-eight in September, the pitcher restrict goes as much as 14. As a part of these guidelines, every participant is designated as a pitcher or a hitter or a two-way participant. Within the case of a two-way participant, they don’t depend towards that pitcher restrict. As an example, the Angels have been in a position to carry Shohei Ohtani and 13 different pitchers on their roster throughout his time with that membership, giving them one further arm in comparison with all different groups. The Dodgers will be capable of do the identical in 2025 and past, after Ohtani didn’t pitch this yr whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure.
To qualify for two-way standing, a participant must have met sure standards. They should have pitched at the very least 20 innings and have performed 20 video games as a place participant or designated hitter, getting at the very least three plate appearances in these video games, in both the present season or the earlier one. The standing permits the membership to get across the roster limitations, in addition to the foundations on when a place participant can pitch.
The plan from Lorenzen and his agent, as laid out by Rosenthal, is to let Lorenzen get the mandatory plate appearances this yr to be able to qualify for two-way standing. As soon as he has that standing, it will be in place for the rest of 2025 and in 2026 as effectively.
It’s a artistic plan which might theoretically improve Lorenzen’s worth. At the present time, pitcher utilization has been shrinking, with starters getting pulled earlier and relievers taking on bigger workloads. Having one further arm would definitely attraction to a membership, so it’s comprehensible with Lorenzen and his reps would give it a attempt.
The problem could be in implementation. Lorenzen wasn’t an particularly good hitter even when he was doing it commonly. With the Reds from 2015 to 2019, he bought between 5 and 53 plate appearances annually, attending to 145 in complete over these 5 seasons. He hit seven residence runs however solely walked at a 4.8% price and struck out 31.7% of the time. His .235/.279/.432 line led to an 84 wRC+, which isn’t too dangerous for a pitcher however nonetheless subpar. It’s additionally largely buoyed by a four-homer burst in 34 plate appearances in 2018. He stepped to the plate 53 occasions in 2019 however went deep simply as soon as and slashed .208/.283/.313 for a wRC+ of 53.
Even attending to one thing in that neighborhood might be a tall ask. Lorenzen bought precisely one plate look in each 2020 and 2021, adopted by none in any respect up to now three seasons, so we’re speaking a few man who basically hasn’t hit in any respect in 5 years and is popping 33 years outdated in January.
However the way in which the plan is printed, that doesn’t appear to matter. The concept is for a rebuilding membership such because the White Sox or Marlins to run Lorenzen on the market, understanding full effectively he isn’t prone to hit a lot, however presumably not caring since they’re probably not making an attempt to win anyway. As soon as he has unlocked two-way participant standing, he could be traded to a contender that will profit from having one other pitcher on the roster.
It’s maybe price noting that this plan may theoretically be carried out with any pitcher, although a theoretical hurler may not be eager on the concept. A random free agent pitcher may not wish to embarrass himself by stepping up the plate in these 20 video games, and there’s additionally the chance of struggling an harm on a stray pitch hitting a hand or some form of pressure whereas working the bases or sliding right into a bag. Lorenzen at the very least has the potential to be considerably satisfactory within the field and it’s attainable he welcomes the problem of getting again in there.
Lorenzen has been utilized extra as a pitcher as a result of his outcomes have been higher on the mound, and he would have worth even simply as an ordinary hurler. He has a 3.99 earned run common in 854 1/3 innings at this level, working as a starter, reliever or swingman over his profession. He has signed one-year offers in every of the previous three offseasons, simply primarily based on his talents on the mound. He bought $6.8MM from the Angels going into 2022, $8.5MM from the Tigers going into 2023 and $4.5MM from the Rangers final offseason. He simply posted a 3.31 ERA this yr between the Rangers and Royals and would presumably be capable of get one other stable one-year pact within the coming weeks or months.
The hope from Lorenzen and his reps appears to be that this galaxy mind concept may maybe get him a bit extra money or possibly a second yr on his subsequent deal. It’s unclear whether or not any membership would have the urge for food for such a charade, nevertheless. Within the age of expanded playoffs and the draft lottery, only a few golf equipment are going into the 2025 season with no hope of contending. Even golf equipment which were dangerous in current seasons just like the Angels and Athletics have been aggressively including to their rosters this winter.
The White Sox simply had a record-setting season of futility and are certainly going to be dangerous once more in 2025, however deliberately tanking a lineup spot to achieve some theoretical marginal enhance in commerce worth is perhaps a bit too egregious for a membership that most likely has some want for a much less embarrassing season subsequent yr. It’d additionally take some at-bats from youthful gamers the crew want to develop.
Rosenthal scoffs on the concept of the White Sox or Marlins having younger gamers that they wish to give huge league at-bats to, however that’s oddly dismissive. Absolutely the Fish must weigh a plan like this towards making an attempt out numerous gamers they hope can change into viable main leaguers, corresponding to Kyle Stowers, Griffin Conine, Deyvison De Los Santos and so forth. Even when they really feel they’ve DH at-bats to make use of, they might go the extra conventional route of simply signing a free agent hitter corresponding to Jesse Winker or Tommy Pham with the concept of buying and selling that participant on the deadline.
Time will inform if any membership will chew, however one has to tip their cap to Lorenzen and his reps for pondering exterior the field.