Cincinnati Reds: Michael Lorenzen fulfills the prophecy

It was inevitable that Michael Lorenzen would start a game in the outfield, come in to pitch, and return to the outfield at some point in 2019. On Friday, he fulfilled the prophecy.

When it was announced that that Cincinnati Reds would convert Michael Lorenzen into a two way player, it was easy to dream of the possibilities. The idea that Lorenzen could play in the outfield, then come in to fire an inning or two in relief before returning to his position, was fun to think about. Of course, he would need to prove that he could make that transition to the outfield for such an occurrence to happen.

With the Reds being out of contention, September has been an open audition for Lorenzen in the outfield. He has begun to get starts in center, turning his two way stature from hypothetical to reality. If ever he was going to pitch in the same game that he started in the outfield, and then return to the position, it would be this month.

That event happened on Friday. Lorenzen spent the first six innings in center before heading to the mound for the seventh. After firing two scoreless innings and recording a strikeout, he returned to center field. In doing so, he became the first player to perform that feat since Dave Martinez did so for the Montreal Expos back in 1990.

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It almost turned out to be a memorable day for more than just that statistical oddity. Lorenzen was in line for the win when he departed, as he drove in the go ahead run for Cincinnati in the top of the eighth. However, Raisel Iglesias blew the save, and took the loss in the Reds eventual 6-5 defeat.

Thus far, this experiment has gone well. Lorenzen has continued to be a valuable member of the Reds relief corps, posting a 2.95 ERA and a 1.154 WHiP, striking out 85 batters with just 28 walks in his 82.1 innings. It would be fair to say that Lorenzen is wrapping up his best season in the majors.

There have been some struggles at the plate. While Lorenzen had gained a reputation as a good hitting pitcher, he has not seen that success carry over in a larger role. In his 50 plate appearances, Lorenzen has posted a .200/.280/.311 batting line, hitting just one homer and two doubles.

Should Lorenzen’s conversion to the outfield, or as a two way player in general, continue next season, he will need to show more at the plate. The raw power is there, as evidenced by his six homer in 51 plate appearances over the previous three seasons. However, he will need to make more consistent contact, and potentially some adjustments in the batter’s box, in order to be a true weapon on both sides.

Michael Lorenzen’s journey as a two way player for the Cincinnati Reds will continue, and we may see more instances where he comes in from the outfield to pitch before heading back. On Friday, he performed that feat for the first time.