MLB News: RHP Michael Lorenzen Joins Royals

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The Texas Rangers have traded right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for minor league left-handed pitcher Walter Pennington.

This move reflects Kansas City’s interest in bolstering their rotation while the Rangers adjust their pitching staff to accommodate returning veterans. This trade impacts MLB Lines as both teams strategize for the remainder of the season.

An Efficient Veteran 

Lorenzen, 32, has been solid for the Rangers this season, pitching 101 2/3 innings with a 3.81 ERA. However, his strikeout rate of 17.9% is below the league average of 22.3%, and his 11.5% walk rate is notably higher than the 8.2% league average. 

Despite these figures, Lorenzen has managed to keep the ball on the ground at a 42.3% rate, benefiting from a .243 average on balls in play and an 80.7% strand rate. Some regression might be expected, but Lorenzen remains a reliable back-end starter.

Lorenzen’s trade does not signal that the third-place Rangers are giving up on their season. With pitchers like Max Scherzer, Dane Dunning, Tyler Mahle, and eventually Jacob deGrom returning to health, Texas had the flexibility to trade an arm. 

Lorenzen was the most logical choice on a one-year contract and is set to become a free agent. The Rangers’ rotation now includes Scherzer, Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, and potentially Dunning or Mahle, who is nearing the end of a minor-league rehab assignment.

In return, the Royals acquire a dependable pitcher who can immediately step into their rotation, possibly replacing Alec Marsh, who has struggled recently with a 6.37 ERA over his past ten starts. Lorenzen’s experience and steady performance could provide the stability Kansas City needs.

Pennington Set to Help Rangers

Walter Pennington, 26, joins the Rangers and offers an immediate option for their bullpen. Pennington, undrafted in the shortened 2020 draft, signed out of the Colorado School of Mines and has shown promise toward the MLB lines for this season 

He has pitched to a 2.26 ERA with a 32.9% strikeout rate, an 8.3% walk rate, and a 52.6% ground-ball rate in 59 2/3 innings at Triple-A Omaha. Pennington’s repertoire includes a sinker, cutter, and slider, with the slider being his most frequently used pitch. He has effectively held both lefties and righties to low averages.

Pennington’s performance earned him a brief call-up to the majors with the Royals, where he pitched two-thirds of an inning before returning to Triple-A. Now, with the Rangers, Pennington could become a valuable long-term asset to their bullpen. 

He is in the first of three minor league option years, and the Rangers will control his contract through at least the 2030 season.

The trade for Lorenzen is a strategic move for both teams. The Rangers adjust their rotation to make room for returning pitchers, while the Royals strengthen their starting pitching.