MLB Trade Rumors: Astros, Rays Targeting All-Star SP Michael Lorenzen Before Deadline

The Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly among the teams interested in Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

The 31-year-old has gone 4-6 with a 3.49 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 100.2 innings over 16 starts. He served as the Tigers' representative in the All-Star Game this year.

The right-hander has caught fire in his last three starts, hurling 18.2 shutout innings during that span. He just shut out the Kansas City Royals for seven innings Thursday en route to a 3-0 victory.

Lorenzen played his first seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds before joining the Los Angeles Angels last year. He then signed as a free agent with the Tigers last December.

He was a starter for his first season before moving into a relief role from 2016-2021. Lorenzen became a starter again for the Angels, going 8-6 with a 4.24 ERA (1.28 WHIP) and 85 strikeouts in 93.2 innings (18 starts).

Now he's excelling for the Tigers, who aren't out of the AL Central race despite sporting a 44-52 record. They sit just five games behind the Minnesota Twins in the standings and could very well make a run at the division given the fact that no one is running away with it.

But there's clear interest in the impending free agent Lorenzen, who signed a one-year, $8.5 million contract this past offseason.

We'll see if the Tigers shoot for the playoffs or become sellers prior to the Aug. 1 trade deadline soon enough. For now, Lorenzen remains with Detroit, which has gone 5-2 since the All-Star break.