Cincinnati Reds: 5 players to lock up with a contract extension

2. Michael Lorenzen, Reds pitcher

This could be a tricky contract to figure out, but it’s one that the Cincinnati Reds should explore. Michael Lorenzen is entering his final year of arbitration eligibility, and unless the two sides come to an agreement before the end of the 2021 season, Lorenzen will be a free agent next winter. The question is, what will Lorenzen’s role be going forward?

Is Michael Lorenzen a starter or a reliever? The answer to that question will greatly impact how much money Lorenzen can hope to earn with a long-term deal. We saw Lorenzen start two games for the Reds in 2020 and with the likely departure of Trevor Bauer and Anthony DeSclafani, it’s quite possible for the right-hander to be in the conversation for a role in Cincinnati rotation in 2021.

Lorenzen is arguably the best athlete on this Reds team, and one of the better athletes in all of Major League Baseball. His versatility is second to none, as we’ve seen Lorenzen on the mound, in the field and in the batter’s box. Following the ineptitude of the Reds offense last season, perhaps David Bell should have turned to Lorenzen a time or two as a pinch hitter.

So, with Lorenzen being a pitcher first, a pinch-runner second, an outfielder third and a pinch-hitter fourth, how in the world do you put together a long-term contract? That’s for the analytics geniuses within the Cincinnati organization to figure out because I have no idea.

What I do know is that Michael Lorenzen is a fan favorite whose versatility offers the Reds a lot of options. While he struggled early on during the 2020 campaign, he put his woeful performances behind him and over his final 11 appearances, Lorenzen owned a 1.91 ERA while striking out 29 batters over 28.1 innings.