New Colorado Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen is working out the wrinkles of pitching with a new team. Lorenzen says he has always enjoyed going to Colorado to pitch, and that hasn't changed since joining the club.
“It's fascinating in the sense of figuring out what works, what pitches work…..I have always been into it,” Lorenzen said, per MLB Network Radio.
New @Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen is ready to take on the challenge of 🏔️Coors Field🏔️
“It’s something that hasn’t been figured out quite yet.”
🔗 https://t.co/WG5zyiWrzU pic.twitter.com/x0YzbgQltw— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) February 21, 2026
Lorenzen signed a free-agent deal with Colorado this offseason. He spent last season pitching for the Kansas City Royals, where he posted a 4.64 ERA. The veteran hurler has also spent time with the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies.
In his lengthy MLB career, Lorenzen has 54 career regular season wins. He has started 119 regular season games, and posted a 4.08 ERA. Working as a reliever, Lorenzen has picked up 15 career regular season saves.
The Rockies had a very disappointing 2025 season. Colorado finished the year with a 43-119 record.
Michael Lorenzen hopes to lead the Rockies in 2026
Colorado is a work in progress, after going through such a rough year in 2025. The Rockies decided to stick with manager Warren Schaeffer, who came in as interim after Bud Black was fired. Schaeffer oversaw the team through most of the 2025 campaign.
Lorenzen is ready for the challenge of trying to rebuild the struggling franchise.
“It's exciting to me,” Lorenzen said, per Denver7. “To be one of the first guys to come in and try and figure this place out. You have that survival instinct in you, I think to pitch here you have to have that survivor mentality.”
The hurler was pitching pretty well for Kansas City in 2025. He will be called upon to help anchor a Rockies rotation that struggled mightily last season.
“Lorenzen was fantastic down the stretch for the Royals in 2024 after the trade from Texas, appearing in seven games — with six starts — and posting a 1.57 ERA in 28 2/3 innings after the Trade Deadline,” MLB.com reported. “He regressed to a 4.64 ERA over 141 2/3 innings in '25, though his 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings was his highest rate in a non-shortened season since Lorenzen was a full-time reliever in '19. The culprit was a career-worst 25 home runs allowed.”
Rockies fans hope that Lorenzen can help oversee a major turnaround in 2026.
