With their 80-68 record, the Kansas City Royals are right in the thick of the playoff race. If Michael Lorenzen were to return from injury, the Royals would only roster a stronger pitching staff.

The right-hander made a rehab start for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. Lorenzen pitched just 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out two, walked one and threw 26 of his 38 pitches for strikes, MLB.com.

While the numbers aren't necessarily pretty, the bigger news is that Lorenzen made a rehab start at all. He was placed on the injured list in late August with a hamstring injury and was given a two to three week timetable. There still isn't an exact date for his return, but Lorenzen's rehab appearance shows he is getting close.

Kansas City acquired Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers prior to the trade deadline. In his five starts since joining the Royals, the righty holds a 2-0 record with a 1.85 ERA and a 17/10 K/BB ratio. While the team would like to see him limit the walks, Lorenzen has been a strong addition for Kansas City thus far.

The next step is just getting him back on the diamond. Lorenzen's Royals hold a 2.5 game lead over the competition for the second Wild Card spot and are only 3.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. Once Lorenzen returns to the mound, he'll once again be asked to help carry the load and help lead the Royals' once shocking playoff push.

State of Royals' pitching rotation 

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When Michael Lorenzen is back in Kansas City, he'll be re-joining one of the stronger pitching rotations in the league. The Royals rank 11th in ERA (3.89), have allowed the second-fewest home runs (134) and  ninth-fewest walks (417). Led by some breakout performers, Kansas City has one of the more intriguing rotations in the league.

Seth Lugo has made his full transition to the rotation, earning the first All-Star nomination of his career. He has pitched to a 16-8 record with a 2.94 ERA and a 169/45 K/BB ratio. Behind him is Cole Ragans, who also earned All-Star honors in 2024. He holds a 11-9 record with a 3.33 ERA and a 204/57 K/BB ratio.

After holding a 5.52 ERA in 2023, Brady Singer has lowered that to 3.42 in 2024. He has a 153/46 K/BB ratio to boot. Veteran Michael Wacha has had an impressive debut with the team, pitching to a 12-7 record with a 3.34 ERA and a 130/40 K/BB ratio.

Lorenzen now has an opportunity to join their ranks and have an opportunity to pitch in the playoffs. The Royals acquired him due to his flexibility, veteran status and overall performance. After getting past his injury hump, they're now expecting him to perform as advertised.

Kansas City returned to contention after some time in the cellar. Lorenzen now has front row seats to the Royals renaissance. Both him and the team would prefer if he was actively taking part in the uprising, though.