Pittsburgh — Michael Lorenzen was on the field at PNC Park at around 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, going through his usual between-starts routine, including throwing off the bullpen mound.
An hour later, he finally learned his fate. The Tigers traded Lorenzen to the Philadelphia Phillies for 20-year-old infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee, a source confirmed to The Detroit News.
The Phillies were among the teams who had scouts following the Tigers around for the last 10 days or so. They were also looking at several Tigers relievers, including Jason Foley.
Lee, a right-handed hitter who was the No. 5-ranked prospect in the Phillies system (per MLBpipeline), is in his third professional season, signed out of Taiwan in 2021. He was slashing .283/.372/.401 with a .773 OPS at High-A Jersey Shore. He has had 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts.
His versatility fits the Tigers’ defensive profile and his bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline fit their offensive profile. He struck out 56 times and walked 30 times in 297 plate appearances this season.
Lorenzen, 31, posted a 3.58 ERA and a 1.098 WHIP in 18 starts for the Tigers and represented the club in the All-Star game. The Tigers signed him for one year at $8.5 million, making him a prime trade chip.
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