Michael Lorenzen validated the Tigers’ belief en route to his All-Star selection

DETROIT — When A.J. Hinch called Michael Lorenzen into his office to tell him he was going to the All-Star Game, the Tigers’ manager took a bit to get to the point. He built up some suspense, and for a moment, Lorenzen thought he was getting traded.

But once he finally got the news, and once his heart rate slowed, it did not take long for some of the emotions to flow.

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“Honestly right when I found out, it hit me pretty hard,” Lorenzen said last week. “To me, it was bigger than getting called up to the big leagues. I felt like I always knew I was going to be a major-league baseball player. But to be a good major-league baseball player is a different story.”

Whether Lorenzen should have been the man to represent the Tigers in the All-Star game is up for fair debate — reliever Jason Foley was viewed as the most likely candidate with a 2.09 ERA. Jake Rogers also ranks third among AL catchers with 1.7 fWAR.

But here’s the case for Lorenzen as an All-Star: He has been a positive signing for the Tigers, and he has validated much of the belief Hinch and Scott Harris, the president of baseball operations, showed in him this winter.

Let’s go back to what Harris said the day Lorenzen signed.

“We think he’s just scratching the surface as a starter,” Harris said. “We think he can get better, and I know Michael thinks he can get better.”

Lorenzen added that Harris had been “hounding” his agent since the offseason started.

Lorenzen might not have dominated the first half as you might expect from a prototypical All-Star. But he has quietly been a reliable starter for the Tigers, and he has improved his game much like Harris believed he could.

Lorenzen enters Tuesday’s All-Star game with a 4.07 ERA and 1.0 fWAR. After a shaky start, Lorenzen has a 3.45 ERA since the start of May.

The changes to Lorenzen’s arsenal have also been clear. Last season he threw seven types of pitches. After success with a simplified repertoire in September, the Tigers further encouraged Lorenzen to embrace a more minimalist style. He is throwing his four-seam fastball 33.6 percent of the time, the most he has used the pitch since 2015. He mixes in a sinker, too, but has mostly leaned on a changeup and slider.

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And with help from Tigers’ pitching coaches, Lorenzen has dialed in on making the slider and changeup the best they can be. He and the coaching staff have zoomed in on the microscopic details — looking at his posture when he releases his changeup, breaking down his release point to the exact inch. Lorenzen is using his slider more often than ever, and opponents are hitting only .183 against his changeup.

(Baseball Savant)

In Lorenzen’s most recent start against the A’s, he reaffirmed the belief there could be even more in the tank. In five scoreless innings, Lorenzen pounded the zone with his fastball, kept hitters off balance with his changeup and had a 55 percent called strike plus whiff rate with his slider.

Lorenzen is getting more depth with his slider and more vertical ride with his fastball. Despite a 6.8 K/9 — getting more strikeouts is his next big focus — Lorenzen has been encouraged by how his game has progressed in Detroit.

“If you don’t have your best pitch, you can’t really be yourself out there,” Lorenzen said. “You have to be able to create that best pitch each day, not just hope it shows up. That’s where I feel like we’re in a really good spot to where I can create that pitch every day and lean on it, so I’m excited for the second half.”

Sunday in Detroit, Lorenzen headed out of the clubhouse with an All-Star Game duffle bag slung around his shoulder. He was preparing to board a flight to Seattle, a validating moment for what has been an interesting career.

Lorenzen has been a starter, a reliever and even a two-way player dating back to his days with the Reds. Now, perhaps for the first time, Lorenzen has a legitimate role and has found his footing in the major leagues. He is the type of player who has maintained endless optimism even after encountering his share of failure.

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“I feel like every year I feel like I’m good enough,” Lorenzen, 31, said. “I’ve always felt like I’m good enough. Just kind of getting recognized is special.”

Lorenzen has attained this new degree of stability just in time for rumors to start swirling around the trade deadline. Although Eduardo Rodriguez is the Tigers’ most marketable trade chip, Lorenzen is on an expiring one-year deal and could actually be the most likely Tigers pitcher to move.

All that, though, will take care of itself in the second half. On Tuesday Lorenzen is going to savor his All-Star experience, with some appreciation for the long road it took him to get there.

“I’m going into the break with a ton of confidence,” Lorenzen said, “more confidence than I’ve ever had, to be honest.”

(Photo of Michael Lorenzen: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)