MLB Trade Update: Royals acquire Michael Lorenzen from Rangers in return for Walter Pennington

The Kansas City Royals have acquired Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers. The AL Central team added depth to their rotation. Meanwhile, the defending World Series champions, the Rangers, have emerged as sellers by this deadline, signaling an end to any hopes of defending their crown.

The Rangers are 51-55 in the season and 4.5 games behind rivals the Houston Astros and the Seattle Mariners. The Astros and the Mariners are tied at the top of the AL West and are six games behind the last AL Wild Card spot.

Moreover, if the Rangers want to push for a postseason, they need to bring back several pitchers reportedly recovering from injuries. These include Max Scherzer, Dane Dunning and Jacob deGrom.

They could afford to give away Michael Lorenzen to make space for one of the returning starters. He is under a one-year, $4.5 million contract. He has gone 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA in 101.2 innings pitched this season. Lorenzen would have hoped for a better first half to the season after his All-Star call-up in 2023.

In exchange for Lorenzen, the Rangers received young pitching prospect Walter Pennington. The young flamethrower has pitched 59.2 innings in the Triple-A with Omaha Storm Chasers and has a meager 2.26 ERA with 79 Ks.

Where does Michael Lorenzen fit in Royals setup?

Michael Lorenzen fits Kansas City's plans perfectly. The Royals were looking for a backup option for Alec Marsh, the fifth starter with an ERA of 4.75. If Lorenzen is given the nod as a starter, the team would be able to move Marsh to the pen to make it stronger.

Lorenzen's records show that he is a proven reliever as well. While with the Cincinnati Reds for seven seasons, the RHP had 269 relief appearances. Further, his strikeout chip as a starter is just 17.9%, less than the league average.

One positive sign would be Lorenzen's .144 opponent average against left-handed batters. The Royals are averaging .255 and can use the pitcher's services wisely against left-handed batting lineups.