Had the Reds traded for Michael Lorenzen, what might they have given up in return?

Big congrats to former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen who threw a no-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.

Lorenzen went the distance against the Washington Nationals and tossed the first no-no at Citizen's Bank Park since Roy Halladay in 2010. Reds fans will remember that one, as it came in Game 1 of the NLDS that year.

Lorenzen, one of the hottest pitcher leading up to the trade deadline, was added to the Phillies roster on August 1st. Many of the Cincinnati faithful bemoaned the team's lack of aggressiveness at the deadline, and some even lobbied for the Reds to bring Lorenzen back to the Queen City.

Former Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen was targeted by many teams at the trade deadline.

But the Detroit Tigers weren't just going to trade Michael Lorenzen for nothing. In fact, Lorenzen's four previous starts certainly boosted his trade value. The right-hander went 3-1 with a sparkling 1.14 ERA and 21 punch outs over 23.2 innings of work.

In the end, despite rumors involving teams like Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay Rays, ultimately it was the Philadelphia Phillies that ponied up and secured Lorenzen's services for the remainder of the 2023 season.

The Phillies traded one of their top infield prospects to the Tigers in exchange for Lorenzen. The former Reds reliever will become a free agent after this season, and with an All-Star appearance and no-hitter on his resumé, Lorenzen will become one of the top prizes on the free agent market this offseason.

What might it have cost the Reds to trade for Michael Lorenzen?

Though the hitting has been the Cincinnati Reds downfall of late, there's bound to be a segment of fans who are going to ask why their favorite team didn't Cincinnati make a play for Michael Lorenzen. It's a fair question. But the price tag looks to be rather steep.

The Detroit Tigers landed Hao-Yu Lee, a second baseman signed an international free agent in 2021. According to MLB Pipeline, Lee ranks sixth in the Tigers farm system, has an above-average hit tool and good speed on the base paths. Lee is expected to be a major league contributor by 2025.

That profile sounds eerily similar to that of Carlos Jorge. Ranked as the Cincinnati Reds 11th-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Jorge has been tearing up the competition at Low-A Daytona this season. Jorge is one of the bright young prospects in the Reds farm system, and many expect him to blossom into a terrific major league player.

Another comp could be Sal Stewart. Recently promoted to High-A Dayton, the former first-round pick is enjoying plenty of success at the plate in his first full season in the pros. Stewart is a third base prospect who's still just 19 years old.

So, if you're a Reds fan, would you have traded Carlos Jorge or Sal Stewart for two-plus months of Michael Lorenzen? With the Cincinnati Reds battling for a playoff spot and turning to Luke Weaver every fifth day, it's certainly a question worth asking.