He rehabbed for three months from a shoulder strain, which ruined his opportunity to be a starting pitcher. He suffered a grade 3 hamstring strain and returned in 11 days.
One of the most athletic players in the league pushed his body to the limit, but the Cincinnati Reds fell short of the playoffs. Lorenzen finished with a career-high 5.59 ERA across 27 appearances and the second-lowest strikeout rate of his career. Now he’s preparing for his first journey through free agency. He hasn’t ruled out a return to the Reds – “someone told me never to close any doors,” he said – but he seems likely to end up elsewhere next year.
Lorenzen, who will turn 30 in January, injured his hamstring in his season debut when he scored the game-tying run on a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning. When he limped to the training room, he thought his season was over. A few days afterward, one coach said he was impressed Lorenzen was walking, let alone preparing to return to the mound the following week.
He tore his hamstring further when he successfully fielded a bunt from Pittsburgh’s Colin Moran in a one-run game on Aug. 8, but he found ways to pitch through it. He was unable to sprint at full speed for the remainder of the season, though he tried to make himself available to help in a two-way role if the Reds qualified for the playoffs.
Lorenzen pitched better than his numbers showed, stabilizing the bullpen throughout the second half of the season. He earned four saves as he often handled high-leverage situations in the seventh or eighth innings, teaming with Mychal Givens and Lucas Sims to protect leads.
Lorenzen was frustrated with how things ended, but he remains confident in his own future.
As Lorenzen enters free agency for the first time, he’s hopeful a team will give him a chance to compete for a spot in the starting rotation.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by JFLegal
