Orioles reportedly eyeing Michael Lorenzen

The Baltimore Orioles have some holes to fill as they look to replicate their 2023 success.

One of the biggest of these is in their rotation. The Orioles have a solid beginning to their rotation on paper - Kyle Bradish emerged as a possible front-of-the-rotation starter, Grayson Rodriguez took a significant step forward in the second half, and John Means should be healthy and ready to contribute. Dean Kremer is a solid fourth or fifth starter. However, each of those arms has question marks as well. The Orioles need someone who can take the ball every fifth day.

They may add that pitcher soon. According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Orioles are still active in the free-agent pitching market. Morosi specifically mentioned Michael Lorenzen as one of the pitchers that the Orioles are looking at.

Lorenzen could be a great pick for the Orioles. His overall numbers are not overly impressive as he posted a 4.15 ERA and a 1.209 WHiP over his 153 innings between the Tigers and Phillies, striking out 111 batters with 47 walks. However, Lorenzen's 153 innings were not only a career high, but marked the first time he surpassed 100 innings since 2015.

He clearly wore down over the final weeks of the season. Lorenzen had a 3.22 ERA and a 1.035 WHiP over his first 122.2 innings, striking out 93 batters with 32 walks. That 20-start run culminated with a no-hitter in his first home start for the Phillies, an outing where he fired 124 pitches. He was not the same afterward, allowing 26 runs in his next 26 innings before being sent to the bullpen.

His struggles down the stretch could make Lorenzen a bargain. He essentially has a full season as a starter under his belt and should be able to withstand the rigors of the season better in 2024. While Lorenzen is more of a fourth or fifth starter in his own right, he displayed the potential to be much more. For an Orioles team that is still not quite ready to spend, he could be a perfect fit.