White Sox, Marlins Linked to Michael Lorenzen as Free Agent Eyes Two-Way Designation

Michael Lorenzen has put up solid numbers as a pitcher with the Tigers, Phillies, Rangers and Royals over the last two seasons, but the White Sox and Marlins could test him out as a two-way player in 2025.

Apr 29, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen singles in his first major league at-bat in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park. / David Kohl-Imagn Images

Michael Lorenzen has carved out quite the career for himself as a pitcher, but the soon-to-be 33-year-old right-hander is still looking to add new wrinkles to his game.

Lorenzen is currently a free agent, coming off a season in which went 7-6 with a 3.31 ERA, 1.235 WHIP and 2.6 WAR with the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. The year before, Lorenzen made an All-Star appearance with the Detroit Tigers and tossed a no-hitter with the Philadelphia Phillies.

According to a report from the Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, though, Lorenzen and his agent Ryan Hamill and pitching teams on the possibility of Lorenzen becoming a two-way player.

Lorenzen has not logged an MLB at-bat since 2021, but in the days before the universal designated hitter, he actually hit .233 with seven home runs, 24 RBI and a .710 OPS as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. The sample size of 147 plate appearances isn't minuscule, either, and if he spent a whole 600-plate appearance season producing at that rate, he could rack up 29 home runs and 98 RBI.

The Reds even used Lorenzen as an outfielder in 29 games in 2019, when he hit .290 with a 1.043 OPS.

While it is highly unlikely Lorenzen gets starter's reps at the plate, simply having a two-way player designation would give his next team some solid flexibility.

Two-way players do not count against the 13-pitcher limit on active MLB rosters, as long as they pitch in 20 games and record at least three at-bats in 20 games as a position player or designated hitter. So effectively, a team could carry an extra pitcher if they give Lorenzen a shot at the plate every now and then.

Per Rosenthal, contenders or clubs relying on platoons are not expected to roll the dice on Lorenzen in that capacity. He doesn't appear to fit the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates or Athletics' timelines, either, while the Colorado Rockies would be a questionable landing spot for a pitcher seeking a short-term deal.

The Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins, both of whom have been shedding talent for months and are not in line to compete in 2025, have been singled out as the most likely destinations for a two-way Lorenzen. Neither have go-to designated hitters, so Lorenzen wouldn't be stepping on anyone's toes by appearing in the lineup once or twice a week.

If Lorenzen can prove to be an effective player on the mound and at the plate, the White Sox and Marlins could even look to trade him to a contender midseason, continuing to compile assets and build out their farm systems.

Lorenzen has a 10-year track record as a solid MLB pitcher, posting a 3.99 ERA and 10.3 WAR over the last decade. He surely won't fool anyone into thinking he's the next Shohei Othani, but his strategy on the open market could pay dividends.

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