TORONTO -- The Blue Jays signed veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen, who was active for Thursday’s game against the Royals to provide bullpen depth.
Lorenzen was recently released by the Rockies after posting a 7.08 ERA over 115 2/3 innings, but the Blue Jays are hoping to capture more of what Lorenzen accomplished earlier in his 12-year MLB career. He knows the Royals well, too, after pitching for them in 2024-25, and that level of institutional knowledge has some value.
At this point of the season, any player available in free agency is likely there for a reason, but the Blue Jays see a pathway for Lorenzen supplying some value.
“His availability for length and availability to do a lot of things with our bullpen being in flux [are helpful],” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “You pick up a guy who’s done it before and who can basically throw every day. I was just talking to him and he said he can throw every day. He’s here and ready to help.”
It can be energizing to find another opportunity, too. Lorenzen’s numbers with the Rockies weren’t pretty, and this late in the season, that wasn’t going to get him a job with a legitimate World Series contender. Landing with the Blue Jays, though, at least gives him an outside shot at contributing to a postseason run. Lorenzen has been around this league as both a starter and reliever, so he’s seen a lot, but has made just six postseason appearances.
When he showed up to Rogers Centre on Thursday, Lorenzen sat down with Schneider and made it very clear that he’d do anything to help the team.
“[Lorenzen] said, ‘Literally, whatever you want. I could throw 100 pitches today if you need me to. You can try to break me. It’s not going to work,’” Schneider said.
Lorenzen came up a little short of 100 pitches in his Blue Jays debut Thursday, instead throwing 42 after coming on in the seventh inning of Toronto's 13-2 loss to the Royals. But he did cover two crucial innings for a pitching staff in need of some relief while allowing one earned run on three hits.
He may maintain this bullpen role in the short term, but if Lorenzen can stick around, his future role could be tied to Jameson Taillon. The Blue Jays just pulled off a successful bullpen day on Wednesday against the Royals, but after Taillon makes a rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, they’re open to him sliding back into the rotation the next time through.
That’s still Plan A, but if Taillon needs another rehab start or anything else goes wrong in this rotation -- which has become common -- then Lorenzen gives the Blue Jays another layer of starting depth.