The Kansas City Royals are running it back with Michael Lorenzen.
The Royals on Monday signed Lorenzen to a 1-year contract for $7 million. The deal includes a second-year mutual option for $12 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Lorenzen had signed with the Texas Rangers in free agency last year, but he was traded to Kansas City in late July ahead of the deadline. The 33-year-old pitcher performed well with the Rangers and then was excellent for the Royals.
Lorenzen went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in 7 starts with the Royals last season. He went 7-6 with a 3.31 ERA in 130.1 innings last season. The year before, he made his first All-Star team thanks to a strong first half with the Detroit Tigers.
After spending 2015-2021 with the Cincinnati Reds, Lorenzen has bounced around. He played with the Angels in 2022; the Tigers and Phillies in 2023; and the Rangers and Royals last season. He has been traded midseason two years in a row. If the Royals fail to compete in the AL Central in 2025, that could make it three years in a row. But Kansas City went 86-76 last season and made the playoffs, so they’re hoping to make it to the postseason again in 2025.
