This Free Agent Pitcher is the Solution to Twins’ Anthony DeSclafani Injury
Anthony DeSclafani won’t be ready to open the season; the Twins’ sole external addition to the starting rotation may not throw a single pitch in 2024. Luckily, there’s a pitcher left in free agency who can save the day.
Michael Lorenzen may be the best non-elite starter remaining on the market. In 153 innings last season, he posted a solid 4.18 ERA and was widely sought-after at the trade deadline, ultimately going from the Tigers to the Phillies. If the Twins can break the emergency glass and push payroll a bit more, Lorenzen could be a great final piece of the 2024 roster.
At this point, the Twins’ primary concern with the rotation has to be how they’ll fill innings. DeSclafani likely wasn’t going to be a workhorse for them, but since he was the sole starting pitcher brought in this winter, it leaves them with a huge question mark. While Lorenzen isn’t on the level of Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, he can be a substantial addition, given the news.
After beginning his career as a reliever (and occasional outfielder-slash-pinch-hitter), Lorenzen converted to the rotation in 2022 and made 18 starts. He followed that up by making 25 turns through the rotation in 2024. At age 32, the training wheels should be off, and the Twins can feel comfortable letting him throw as many innings as possible, assuming his health and performance warrant it. His innings total last season would have ranked fourth on the team behind Pablo López, Sonny Gray, and Joe Ryan, and it gives him a floor to build off of it even further in 2024.
Lorenzen may not start a playoff game, but he can take the ball every fifth day in a competitive team’s rotation. Since his conversion, he’s thrown 244 innings while posting a 4.27 ERA. His pitch mix includes multiple fastballs, a whiff-inducing slider, and a solid changeup, which gives him the requisite tools to turn lineups over when things are going right. Lorenzen put that on full display in 2023.
Of course, the question is whether the Twins are willing to go further than they’d originally allowed themselves, in light of their newly deepened need for a starter. Surely, they won’t fork over enough to pay Jordan Montgomery, and they were never going to be in on Blake Snell at the price for which he signed with the Giants, but if Lorenzen’s price has significantly dropped, the Twins should be willing to add a bit more to the payroll to ensure their rotation doesn’t completely collapse.
After making $8.5 million last year, would Lorenzen be willing to take $5-6 million to pitch in a situation with plenty of opportunity and a chance to compete? If so, the Twins should be willing to make one last bump to the payroll. It would still leave them $20 million and change below last year’s number and insulate the depth on the roster, as they’ve shown they love to do in recent years.
Louie Varland would still be stuck in St. Paul to begin the season, but he’d also be one of the best depth starters you could ask for, just like Bailey Ober in 2023. Instead of an injury leading to David Festa’s debut, Varland can bring at least some experience to help stabilize the big-league roster. He’ll likely be up and pitching at Target Field in short order.
DeSclafani’s clouded health forecast has raised bright red flags on how the Twins can effectively fill innings in 2024. It’s arguably reached a point where they have to plan on not getting anything from him. The unusual market has left Lorenzen unsigned, even though a pitcher of his caliber should have already found a home. The Twins need to do what’s best for the roster, and Lorenzen would be the perfect final piece. Do you agree?
