Pirates Predicted To Sign Veteran Starting Pitcher
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a few ways to address their need for another starting pitcher heading into the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh used some of its pitching depth to improve the offense when it sent right-hander Luis Ortiz alongside left-handed pitching prospects Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle to the Cleveland Guardians for first baseman Spencer Horwitz. With Ortiz gone, the Pirates could pick from one of its top pitching prospects in Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft or Thomas Harrington.
They could also have Johan Oviedo step into Ortiz's spot, though manager Derek Shelton said he'll be careful with his innings after he missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery. Adding a veteran starting pitcher could also be the path Pittsburgh takes, and Sports Illustrated's Will Laws and Nick Selbe had it doing that by predicting the team will sign veteran starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen.
"Lorenzen has played for five different organizations since transitioning to a full-time starting pitcher in 2022—such is life for a solid yet unspectacular innings eater," Laws and Selbe write. "His 3.31 ERA in 2024 was built upon a shaky foundation (he had a 4.58 xERA and 4.89 FIP), while his 18.1% strikeout rate and 11% walk rate won’t get teams too excited. Still, Lorenzen has shown enough since shedding his reliever status to be worthy of back end-rotation innings."
Lorenzen was Sports Illustrated's No. 36 ranked free agent heading into the offseason.
Lorenzen, 32, is coming off his best year as a starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. He went 7-6 with a 3.31 ERA over 26 appearances, including 24 starts. He also boasts extensive experience as a reliever, as he pitched out of the bullpen from 2016 to 2021 with the Cincinnati Reds before he was moved into the starting rotation for the Los Angeles Angels in 2022.
Lorenzen has also come out of the bullpen in the playoffs. He's made six appearances across three postseasons, posting a 1.17 ERA over 7 2/3 innings. Given the Pirates' struggles in the bullpen after they had the fourth-highest ERA last season, Lorenzen could be a solid addition there as well.
No team can have too much starting pitching. If the Pirates aren't comfortable with their trio of prospects starting the season in the big leagues or want to ease Oviedo back, Lorenzen's ability to start and come out of the bullpen could add some versatility to their pitching staff.
