Recently signed pitcher Michael Lorenzen won’t be part of the Texas Rangers’ opening-day squad. The team wants him to get more practice before he joins their starting rotation.
General manager Chris Young announced on Wednesday that Lorenzen will be placed on the injured list for 15 days. This means he could return to action as early as April 9, during the team’s second home game of the season.
Lorenzen, who became an All-Star for the first time last season with Detroit and threw a no-hitter for Philadelphia, recently signed a $4.5 million contract with the Rangers. The team starts their season on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs.
“We thought about rushing him to be ready for the opening day, but physically, he’s not fully prepared,” explained Young, a former professional pitcher. “Since he missed spring training, he still needs some time to get back into baseball shape. … It’s the right thing to do. Michael has been fantastic. We’re excited about his progress.”
Young also mentioned that reliever Jonathan Hernández will start the season on the injured list due to a strained muscle. Lorenzen kept himself in shape by training independently and facing hitters from independent leagues while waiting to sign with a major league team. He threw 28 pitches during batting practice on Wednesday and expressed that he feels good.
“I was eager to start right away, but I believe this is the best approach,” said Lorenzen, who discussed the situation with Young earlier in the week. “He understands. It’s beneficial to have a former player, a former pitcher, making these decisions. We talked it over, and it made the most sense.”
Lorenzen plans to start for Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday and then play in another game before being eligible to join the Rangers.
Nathan Eovaldi, an All-Star right-hander, will start the opener for Texas. After a day off on Friday, the team will likely have Dane Dunning, Jon Gray, Andrew Heaney, and Cody Bradford pitching in some order.
Manager Bruce Bochy mentioned that the rotation order isn’t finalized yet. Gray had to miss the final exhibition game on Tuesday due to neck stiffness but was expected to resume practice on Wednesday before the opener.
Relief pitchers José Ureña, Jacob Latz, and Yerry Rodríguez were informed that they made the team. Jared Walsh, who joined the camp with a minor league contract, will be part of the 26-man roster and primarily play as the first baseman, with Gold Glove winner Nathaniel Lowe starting on the injured list due to a right oblique strain.
