With the Philadelphia Phillies still searching for pitching, a reunion with one of their former starters could be an option.
The Philadelphia Phillies open the 2024 season with a complete five-man rotation on paper. Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, has said he feels at ease with this bunch.
That hasn’t stopped the front office from looking at other possibilities, though.
They made a strong push to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto with an extremely attractive contract, and throughout the winter, they were connected to both Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell.
Although it appears improbable that the Phillies would extend the kinds of contracts those two are seeking, manager Rob Thomson expressed his desire for them to have additional starting choices prior to the end of the winter.
Philadelphia will likely search for back-end starters to meet this demand as they approach 2024 with the largest payroll in the team’s history.
Michael Lorenzen is one person who might be a possibility.
He was traded to the Phillies from the Detroit Tigers, and he made an immediate impression by tossing the team’s 14th no-hitter in his home debut against the Washington Nationals.
After that, though, Lorenzen found it difficult, and he finished his time in Philadelphia with an ERA of 5.51 in 11 games, seven starts. The starter was eventually reassigned to the bullpen, where he played in just two 2023 playoff games.
The right-hander, who will be available to sign free agency, has expressed his desire to be a starting pitcher going forward and is searching for the chance with his next team.
The Phillies didn’t seem like a contender at the moment.
They are unable to guarantee Lorenzen a full-time position due to their full rotation. Though there is just one starter in their pipeline who has the potential to step up, Thomson wants additional choices for his rotation, so perhaps a reunion is in the works.
Since his market isn’t quite as strong as he may have anticipated, Lorenzen would feel safe returning based on his relationships and the fact that he immediately fit in with the clubhouse.