Should the Padres Sign Free Agent Pitcher Coming Off All-Star Season?

Should the Padres take a chance on the All-Star hurler?

The San Diego Padres still have some work to do. 

Opening Day will be here before they know it and the Padres still have multiple questions regarding their starting rotation. San Diego has been cutting payroll and the club's top pitcher from 2023 in Blake Snell still is a free agent and very likely will be playing elsewhere in 2024.

San Diego still is loaded with talent, but adding a cheaper option with upside to help bolster the rotation could never hurt.

One player who has been floated as a possible option is one-time All-Star Michael Lorenzen. Here's what MLB Trade Rumors' Steve Adams had to say about the potential pairing.

"Another team that’s reportedly shown interest in Lorenzen, the Padres have cut payroll significantly and are now more than $20MM from the luxury threshold and nearly $100MM shy of their 2023 payroll," Adams said. "They only have two clear-cut, proven starters: Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish. Michael King, acquired in the Juan Soto trade, will fill the third spot in the rotation after a strong showing with the Yankees in 2023, but he’s never started more than nine games in a big league season. The other two spots are entirely up for grabs among a group of largely untested arms."

Landing someone like Lorenzen could go a long way for San Diego. He earned his lone All-Star nod last season and spent the campaign with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. 

The veteran righty had a 4.18 ERA in 29 total appearances but shined brightest with Detroit to kick off the season. He had a 3.58 ERA in 18 starts with the Tigers before being traded. 

San Diego could use one more starter and Lorenzen still is out there.