Cincinnati Reds: Will Michael Lorenzen get a deal before arbitration?

Will the Cincinnati Reds reach a deal with pitcher Michael Lorenzen before the arbitration process begins on January 11th?

Michael Lorenzen is one of several Cincinnati Reds players who are up for arbitration this offseason. With the January 11th deadline looming, will the Reds and their hard-throwing right-hander reach a long-term deal?

The short is answer is no, but that doesn’t mean that both sides are unhappy or looking to move on from one another. Arbitration is just part of baseball and a process that almost every player goers through at some point in time.

The Reds avoided arbitration last year with Eugenio Suárez after the third baseman and the club reached a 7-year/$66-million deal. Cincinnati reworked Raisel Iglesias‘ contract this offseason, as the the Reds’ closer was able to enter the arbitration process if he chose to do so.

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Lorenzen will be going through this process for a second time and is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to haul in about $1.9M this season after making $1.3M last season. Lorenzen is not slated to become a free agent until after the 2021 season.

Michael Lorenzen might be the most interesting player entering the arbitration process this offseason for the Cincinnati Reds. While a lot of fans have their attention focused on Scooter Gennett, Lorenzen’s value as a potential starter or even two-way player makes his arbitration number an interesting one to watch. The uptick in valuable relief pitchers could also enhance Lorenzen’s value in the arbitration process.

Lorenzen just switched agents, and a move like that so close to the deadline, compounded with the versatility that he brings to the team, makes a long-term deal before January 11th virtually impossible. Lorenzen is now being represented by CAA. Some well recognized personalities who are also clients of CAA are Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, NFL quarterback Eli Manning, and soccer star Christiano Ronaldo.

The arbitration process and the upcoming season could be a very important one for Lorenzen. We’ll likely find out very quickly how the new coaching staff plans to use Lorenzen on the mound and in the batting order. After hitting .290 with a 1.043 OPS last season, one would think that he’ll get several opportunities to swing the bat.

We’ll know more in the next few days, not just regarding Lorenzen, but all the Reds arbitration eligible players and where they stand with the Cincinnati Reds ball club. While a long-term extension for Lorenzen is unlikely this offseason, if he has another good season he could be in line for one next offseason.