ROYALS LAND LORENZEN
The Kansas City Royals acquired pitcher Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers for pitcher Walter Pennington.
What does it give the Kansas City Royals
The Royals have been the surprise team of the MLB season, putting themselves in a buying position at the trade deadline. Lorenzen has mainly started this season, but he also has lots of experience working out of the bullpen. It will be interesting to see which role the Royals decide to use Lorenzen in. His 3.81 earned-run average in 2024 should benefit the contending Royals, either way.
What does it give the Texas Rangers
A day after making a trade to add to their roster, the Rangers subtracted here. Pennington has been a great success story, going from undrafted free agent to making his MLB debut. He is a left-handed relief pitcher who has a great strikeout rate in Triple-A. He could slide right into the Rangers bullpen to give them a second left-hander. It is hard to see how this trade makes them better in the short term.
Fantasy impact
Lorenzen has more value if he stays in a starting role with KC. Even then, he is still a back-of-the-rotation arm. So, in shallow leagues there is no need to roster him. In deep leagues, maybe a spot start here and there is the best way to use him. Pennington has not established himself in MLB. This gives him little fantasy value.
