Astros, Rays in hot pursuit of one pitcher before MLB trade deadline

It’s not hard to see why a couple of AL contenders are looking into trading for Lorenzen. He received the first All-Star selection of his 9-year career this season as a key starter in Detroit’s rotation. Lorenzen owns a 3.49 ERA across 17 starts in 2023. He’s also just one out shy of 22 straight scoreless innings, dating back to his June 30 start against the Colorado Rockies.

Despite playing in arguably the worst division in the majors, the Tigers have fallen behind in the playoff hunt. Their 44-52 record entering play on Friday had them five games out of first place in the AL Central and 9.5 games out of the third and final Wild Card spot.

Even if Detroit does manage to overtake the Minnesota Twins for the AL Central division lead, it’s hard to imagine them upsetting several juggernauts within the AL East and West. Trading away a veteran in Lorenzen in exchange for a solid prospect or two might be a more enticing option for the Tigers.

Lorenzen isn’t the only option for Houston and Tampa Bay ahead of the MLB trade deadline. The Astros are also rumored to be interested in Chicago White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease. The Rays might be one of several teams focusing their attention on Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani.