Michael Lorenzen is the best option the Cincinnati Reds have to work as a closer for the remainder of this year and possibly the next several years.
Lorenzen has missed all of the 2016 season so far due to elbow soreness and mononucleosis. He has made four appearances in Triple-A that resulted in four scoreless innings, two hits and seven strikeouts. He pitched in back-to back games over the weekend and now looks ready to rejoin the Reds in the bullpen.
Lorenzen was fast-tracked to become a starter after he was drafted in 2013. The former collegiate center fielder and closer rocketed through the Reds’ minors. By the end of his first year of pro ball, he was in Double-A. After one full season at Double-A in 2014, he split the 2015 season between Triple-A and the Reds.
Since Lorenzen is on the 60-day DL, the Reds will either have to transfer a player from the 15-day to the 60-day DL or outright a player to the minors to make room for Lorenzen on the 40-man and 25-man rosters.
The Reds have plenty of players to waive from the 40-man roster who will go unclaimed by other teams. But the team could opt to keep their roster in tact for now and place reliever Caleb Cotham on the 60-man DL.
The addition of Lorenzen to the active roster would almost certainly mark the end of Tony Cingrani in the closer role for the Reds. The lefty Cingrani has produced a pedestrian 3.69 ERA in 31.2 innings and converted just eight of 13 save opportunities for the year.
Lorenzen was stretched out in 2015 for a combined 156.1 innings in Triple-A and for the Reds. His track to join the Reds’ rotation may be over, though.
With the emergence of Cody Reed, Robert Stephenson and Amir Garrett as likely starters in the Reds rotation in 2017 along with veterans Homer Bailey and Anthony DeSclafani, Lorenzen looks like his best fit for the Reds will be team closer.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
The post Michael Lorenzen is ready for Cincinnati Reds’ closer job appeared first on OutsidePitchMLB.