Royals Could Exploit Shohei Ohtani Loophole By Re-Signing $4.5 Million Veteran

Should Kansas City participate in this experiment?

Sep 18, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; Cincinnati Reds center fielder Michael Lorenzen (21) hits a single against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

Could the Kansas City Royals seek a reunion with free-agent pitcher Michael Lorenzen under very different circumstances?

Lorenzen had a typical journeyman season with the Texas Rangers, who signed him to a $4.5 million contract, then the Royals, who traded for him in July.

But early in his career, Lorenzen was both an outfielder and a relief pitcher, and though he's certainly no Shohei Ohtani, he might be able to take advantage of a rule created for the one-of-a-kind Japanese superstar.

Major League Baseball has helped cater to Ohtani's incredible talents by changing rules that prevented two-way players from making the biggest possible impact. They now allow a starting pitcher to stay in the game as a designated hitter after he is removed, and they changed how a two-way player counts against the active roster.

As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently explained, Lorenzen's plan for the 2025 season is to qualify for two-way status so he can join a staff without counting against the usual roster limit of 13 pitchers. That's a very intriguing possibility for the Royals and a number of other teams.

"Shohei Ohtanii s the only player to qualify for two-way designation since Major League Baseball introduced the criteria in 2020," Rosenthal said. "But the potential for right-hander Michael Lorenzen to achieve two-way status is creating a fascinating twist in his free agency."

"(Agent Ryan) Hamill, according to sources briefed on his conversations, is talking with such clubs about signing Lorenzen, getting him the necessary plate appearances to qualify for two-way status and then flipping him to a contender that would benefit from carrying him as a 14th pitcher."

The rule, or loophole in Lorenzen's case, states that a player who pitches in at least 20 games and takes at least three plate appearances in 20 other games, qualifies for two-way status, and therefore does not count as one of the 13 players on the roster.

While the Royals might not want to waste a position player roster spot on Lorenzen for a couple months, Rosenthal also discussed the possibility that the righty could sign with a non-contending team, like the Chicago White Sox or Miami Marlins, then be traded at the deadline.

The Royals already brought in Lorenzen once in a trade. It would be awfully nice to do so again and have an extra pitcher on the roster for the rest of the season.

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