AL contender poaches former All-Star SP from Rangers

Michael Lorenzen. Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

AL's biggest surprise contender poaches former All-Star SP from Rangers

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated Jul 29, 2024 12:49 PM ET

The Kansas City Royals (57-49) are arguably MLB's biggest surprise contender, occupying the third AL wild-card spot as the season approaches the end of July.

The defending champion Texas Rangers (51-55), meanwhile, are perhaps the league's biggest disappointment, as they sit six games behind the Royals.

With the 2024 MLB trade deadline set for 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Kansas City made it clear it is a buyer this summer, acquiring a key member of the Rangers rotation on Monday.

We have acquired RHP Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers in exchange for LHP Walter Pennington.
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 29, 2024

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic noted that despite the trade, Texas may not be going into full sell mode, as Michael Lorenzen was likely to lose his spot in the starting rotation anyway as the Rangers' arms get healthier.

With the Rangers’ trade of Lorenzen, keep in mind that their pitching staff continues to get healthier, with Scherzer and Dunning recently coming off the IL and Bradford, Mahle and deGrom on track to follow.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 29, 2024

The Royals, on the other hand, now have a reliable No. 3 or No. 4 starter to slide in behind co-aces Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo.

Royals are third wild card, lead Red Sox by 1, Mariners by 1 1-2, Rays by 3. KC also is still monitoring the relief market even after acquiring Hunter Harvey. https://t.co/rPxIpuBfAu
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 29, 2024

Lorenzen served as a two-way player until 2021 and made his first All-Star team in 2023 before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies hours before last year's trade deadline on Aug. 1.

He fired a no-hitter in just his second outing with the club and finished the season 9-9 with a 4.18 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 111 strikeouts over 152.3 innings pitched covering 29 games (25 starts) with the Phillies and Detroit Tigers.

Lorenzen went 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 75 strikeouts across 101 2/3 innings pitched covering 19 games (18 starts) with the Rangers in 2024.

Victor Barbosa

Victor Barbosa is a passionate follower of MLB, the NBA and NFL, with a deep interest in Boston-area teams. He graduated from Springfield College -- The Birthplace of Basketball -- in 2013 with a degree in Communications-Sports Journalism. Previous bylines include FanSided, Heavy and Syracuse

More must-reads: