The team the Boston Red Sox are chasing for the American League’s third wild-card spot — the Kansas City Royals — made a trade Monday to bolster their pitching staff.
The Royals acquired right-hander Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers in exchange for minor league left-hander Walter Pennington, the teams announced.
Kansas City (57-49) entered Monday with a one-game lead over Boston (55-49) in the AL standings, and Lorenzen theoretically could’ve been a trade target for the Red Sox, who last week acquired James Paxton to boost their rotation but still figure to seek more pitching help before Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline. (Boston acquired pitcher Quinn Priester from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday in a trade announced shortly after the Lorenzen deal.)
Lorenzen, who signed a one-year contract with Texas over the offseason, owns a 3.81 ERA in 19 appearances (18 starts) spanning 101 2/3 innings this season. There are concerning signs under the hood — like a 5.16 FIP and lackluster strikeout/walk rates — but he nevertheless can eat innings down the stretch and potentially into the playoffs.
The 32-year-old is a pure rental who’s slated to hit free agency this winter. He was traded before last year’s deadline, as well, in that instance going from the Detroit Tigers to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Texas (51-55) is in a weird spot. The defending World Series champions still have an outside shot at the postseason, especially with reinforcements joining the mix, but it’ll be an uphill climb. The Rangers entered Monday in third place in the AL West — 4 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners — and six games back of Kansas City in the wild-card race.
