Blue Jays' Desperate Michael Lorenzen Move Exposes Their Biggest Problem
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The Toronto Blue Jays need pitching help. Desperately.
Apparently, they needed it so bad they took a chance on Michael Lorenzen.
The Blue Jays officially signed the veteran right-hander Thursday, just a little more than a week after the Colorado Rockies designated him for assignment.
That’s right, the Blue Jays signed a pitcher the Rockies didn’t want.
Lorenzen joins a Toronto team trying to stay in the American League playoff conversation. The pitching depth is getting to be a real problem. In fact, let’s be honest, the pitching staff has been decimated by injuries.
On the surface, it was easy to see. The Blue Jays adding another veteran pitcher made plenty of sense.
The problem is what Lorenzen has done this season.
Before stepping on the field for Toronto, Lorenzen has a 7.08 ERA and 1.88 WHIP across 115 2/3 innings of work for Colorado. Opponents took full advantage by getting 168 hits against him. Things just kept getting worse as time went on.
Now, he’s being ask to help a contender in the playoff race.
Truly, that says a lot more about the state of the Blue Jays’ pitching staff than it does about Lorenzen.
Blue Jays Are Desperate
Looking over the injured list for Toronto is like looking at the foundation of a pitching staff.
Shane Bieber was placed on the IL this week with right teres major inflammation. It is projected that he will be out of throwing activities for at least a couple of weeks. Trey Yesavage underwent left meniscus surgery and is hoping to make it back before the season is over.
Jameson Taillon is rehabbing from right forearm tendinitis and is scheduled to make a rehab start on Friday. Patrick Corbin is still out with a teres major strain.
Add to all of that, Jose Berrios, Cody Ponce and Bowden Francis who won’t be coming back this season.
The trade deadline acquisition hasn’t added much help either. Spencer Arrighetti has allowed six earned runs in 7 1/3 innings since joining the team, which has resulted in a 7.36 ERA.
The reality is that the Blue Jays simply need healthy pitchers who are capable of getting outs and working through innings.
Is that where Lorenzen comes in?
Lorenzen Doesn’t Come With Dominant Record
The argument would be a lot easier to sell if the Blue Jays could show that Lorenzen had a long stretch of dominance earlier in his career. That’s what they would be trying to find.
That’s not really the case.
Some of Lorenzen’s best seasons came when he was working out of the bullpen. In 2016, he posted a 2.88 ERA over 50 innings. He was almost as good in 2019 when he pitched 83 1/3 innings and had a 2.92 ERA.
In 2023 he earned All-Star status as a starter with the Detroit Tigers before he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, but he ultimately finished that season with a 4.18 ERA over 153 innings.
Nothing about his recent 2026 performance points to Toronto adding a pitcher it can count on down the stretch.
Apparently, the gamble is worth it because the circumstances the team is in haven’t given them a lot of alternatives.
Toronto Needs Bullpen Relief Too
While there are plenty of problems in the rotation, maybe Lorenzen doesn’t have to fill a spot there. He could help from the bullpen.
Mason Fluharty has already appeared in 71 games, Braydon Fisher has pitched in 65, Tyler Rogers has logged 63 and Louis Varland 61. That’s a lot of work for a bullpen.
If Lorenzen can provide multiple innings when a starter struggles or just give the Blue Jays some occasional length out of the bullpen, then there could be value. He could ultimately take some relief off those relievers.
Injuries have certainly changed the equation of the Toronto pitching crew. Nothing is going as planned.
The truth is the Blue Jays didn’t sign Lorenzen because he earned another chance. They signed him because they desperately need innings and are running out of options.
The gamble could pay off. The pure fact that Toronto needed to take the gamble is really the bigger story.
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Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, and WNBA. Laura covers the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com