Could Michael Lorenzen follow Shohei Ohtani’s footsteps? Two-way status could revolutionize his free agency and trade value
Free-agent pitcher Michael Lorenzen might be one of the most underrated on the open market. The former All-Star might not have the resume or gravitas of a Corbin Burnes; however, he has been a reliable starter throughout his MLB career. He could be a solid rotational addition for nearly any team. But there's a chance that he could be even more valuable than originally thought.
According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, Michael Lorenzen and his agent, Ryan Hamill, have come up with a unique idea of increasing the veteran's value to clubs. The pair is attempting to convince teams to bring the 33-year-old into the fold but with the idea of allowing him to reach two-way player status by giving him the required games played as a pitcher and as a position player.
MLB clubs are only allowed to carry 13 pitchers on their rosters. However, if Lorenzen was able to achieve two-way player status, he would not count toward that total. This could make him an invaluable weapon for teams on their quest for a title. Lorenzen would need to pitch at least 20 innings and appear in 20 games as a positional player in order to reach this level.
The veteran pitcher would need to make at least three at-bats in those 20 position player games to qualify. This means that he would not need to play anywhere on defense, as at-bats as a designated hitter could also qualify. According to Ken Rosenthal, teams such as the Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox could look to add him, help him get two-way status and flip him at the deadline for a nice return.
The fact that Lorenzen would not count against a team's pitcher limits on their roster could make him an interesting weapon for contenders. This could allow them an extra bullpen arm while also allowing Lorenzen to take to the mound.
Michael Lorenzen has proven that he can hit at the major league level
While this may sound like it could only work in theory, Michael Lorenzen has proven himself to be a solid batter. During his run with the Cincinnati Reds from 2015-2021, Lorenzen made 147 plate appearances, racking up seven home runs and producing a .233 batting average.
It goes without saying that it is highly unlikely that Michael Lorenzen would produce at the level of Shohei Ohtani at the plate. However, the fact that he is not a complete zero makes the free-agency plan even more intriguing. Rebuilding clubs could look to exploit this strategy in order to secure another promising prospect for the future.