The Rockies have taken their first step toward shoring up their wobbly rotation by adding veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen.
On Wednesday, the club agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with Lorenzen, a major league source confirmed.
The club has not announced the free-agent deal, which includes a $9 million club option for 2027. It’s the Rockies’ first major free-agent acquisition since Paul DePodesta became the president of baseball operations in early November.
ESPN first reported the agreement.
Lorenzen, 34, has pitched 11 seasons in the majors, both as a starter and a reliever. He’s appeared in 395 games, making 119 starts. However, the Rockies desperately need depth in their rotation, so Lorenzen will compete for a starting job in 2026.
Terrible starting pitching was a root cause of Colorado’s 43-119 record last season. Rockies starters posted a 6.65 ERA, the highest in the majors since ERA became an official statistic in 1913.
Lorenzen joins lefty Kyle Freeland (4.98 ERA), Chase Dollander (6.52) and Ryan Feltner (4.75 in limited duty because of injuries) as the likely top four starters in the rotation for 2026. Tanner Gordon (6.33), Bradley Blalock (9.36), McCade Brown (7.36), and incoming rookie Gabriel Hughes will compete for the other starting spot.
Lorenzen, known as a pitcher with excellent command, certainly has veteran skills. In fact, he threw a no-hitter for the Phillies against the Nationals on August 9, 2023, walking four and striking out five.
However, Lorenzen’s last two seasons have been a mixed bag. In 2024, after being traded to Kansas City from Texas, he was excellent, appearing in seven games (six starts) and posting a 1.57 ERA over 28 innings after the trade deadline.
His 2025 season wasn’t nearly as good. He appeared in 27 games, making 26 starts over 141 2/3 innings, putting up a 4.64 ERA. Although he struck out a career-best 8.1 batters per nine innings, he also allowed a career-high 25 home runs.
Lorenzen was selected by Cincinnati in the first round of the 2013 draft out of Cal State Fullerton. He’s a terrific athlete and played 34 games in the outfield for the Reds from 2018-21. In 2018, he hit four home runs and batted .290 in 34 plate appearances.
Since pitching his first seven seasons for the Reds, Lorenzen has become a journeyman, becoming a free agent for five straight offseasons and signing short-term deals with the Angels, Tigers, Phillies, Rangers and Royals.
The 6-foot-3, right-hander has a versatile pitching arsenal. His four-seam fastball averages about 94 MPH. He also throws a sinker, changeup, and four breaking pitches (slider, curveball, cutter, sweeper, according to Baseball Savant).
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