Royals Acquire All-Star Pitcher in Surprise Trade

The Royals made a major splash ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, acquiring former All-Star starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers for left-handed reliever Walter Pennington.

Lorenzen has a 5-6 record with a 3.81 ERA in 18 starts so far this year in 101.2 innings. He pitches to contact, notching only 75 strikeouts, a strategy that Seth Lugo proved can be exceptionally effective with Kansas City's strong defense.

Given the Royals have one of baseball's best rotations, most thought they'd focus on adding bullpen arms. However, Lorenzen's acquisition represents excellent strategy from the organization as it prepares for a playoff push.

Royals News: KC Trades for SP Michael Lorenzen

An All-Star in 2023, the right-handed pitcher has struggled in July but threw four innings of one-run ball in his last start and should benefit from a change in scenery.

Kansas City's rotation ranks fourth in MLB in ERA (3.56), yet warning signs are apparent that a downturn could come. Guys like Seth Lugo (4.78 ERA in July) are already showing fatigue, so acquiring another starter like Lorenzen is great strategy.

The Royals now have six starters they feel good about. Even if Lorenzen slides to the bullpen, he can jump to the rotation in a pinch whenever necessary. I believe it's far more likely that he pushes Alec Marsh into a relieving role instead, as the team's fifth starter has a 7.80 ERA in July after posting a 5.68 mark in June.

Alternatively, perhaps manager Matt Quatraro opts for a six-man rotation to give Lugo and Cole Ragans more rest. He's got options, which is all you can ask for deep into the year.

No matter how the roles shake out, Kansas City improved its ballclub and playoff chances with this move. It's a big win purely from a strategic perspective and here's hoping the on-field results illustrate that too.

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