Blue Jays Set to Sign RHP Michael Lorenzen After Rockies Release
Toronto appears close to a deal with Michael Lorenzen — his locker is set up and he's arrived at Rogers Centre, though no formal announcement has been made yet.
Michael Lorenzen has a locker in the Toronto clubhouse and has arrived at Rogers Centre, per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson and Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. The Blue Jays have not formally announced a deal, but per Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors, one appears imminent.
What we know
Lorenzen was released by Colorado earlier in August after signing a one-year, $8MM contract with the Rockies this past offseason. He made 25 starts, posting a career-high 7.08 ERA across 115 2/3 innings. The surface numbers were rough: opponents rocked him for five or more earned runs in eight of those outings, and his 14.6% strikeout rate left him with little margin for error. An 8.7% walk rate and 45.2% ground-ball rate were both serviceable marks, but a 91.1 mph average exit velocity and 46.4% hard-hit rate tell the story of a pitcher who wasn't missing bats and was paying for it in loud contact.
His season did include a seven-inning, one-run start against the Mets — a reminder that the underlying profile isn't without merit — but such outings were, per the report, few and far between. It's also worth noting that the majority of his roughest starts came at Coors Field, which has a way of making ERA look like a crime scene.
Why Toronto, why now
The Blue Jays' rotation has been in flux. Shane Bieber was placed on the IL, opening a spot that needs filling, and the club has been evaluating pitching depth options per Matheson. Lorenzen, whatever his 2026 résumé looks like, is an arm with big-league starting experience who is available immediately — which appears to be the operative qualification at the moment.
Toronto enters this stretch sitting three games back of the final AL Wild Card spot, per Posterior Wire's recent coverage, so the urgency to patch the rotation is real.
What still needs to happen
Because Toronto currently carries a full 40-man roster, a corresponding move will be required before any deal can be finalized. That move has not been announced. The reported signing itself also remains unannounced as of this report — the physical presence of a locker and a player is suggestive, but the club has not yet made any announcement.
More details are expected.
More on the Blue Jays wire.
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