Michael Lorenzen (SP/RP, CIN) - Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: The Cincinnati Reds have used Michael Lorenzen in a variety of ways due to his stellar athleticism, case in point, he hit four home runs last season and has two stolen bases as a pinch runner in 2019. It has been difficult to work him into the high-leverage bullpen situations though, given the fact that Raisel Iglesias mostly occupies the closer slot, while guys like Jared Hughes, Zach Duke, David Hernandez, and Amir Garrett have made the Reds relief core second-best in the MLB with a 3.40 ERA.

Despite that, "Mikey Biceps" has a career-high four saves with four holds to go with a 3.05 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, and things have just been heating up. He holds a 1.69 ERA, 0.19 WHIP, and two saves just in the past two weeks. The formula has been simple: he has lowered his walk rate to 6.2%, improved his strikeout rate to 23.6%, and maintained a 1.71 GB/FB ratio (off of 48.2% grounders) while forcing just 30.1% hard contact. He is accomplishing this by still tossing 96.4 MPH gas on his heater, though far less frequently (-15.8%), while all but eliminating his 87 MPH slider and increasing the velocity and frequency of his cutter to 93.3 MPH and 35.5%. Don't get too excited about the implications of his triumphant save the other day, but with his work on the mound of late, it's hard not seeing the Reds deploying Michael Lorenzen more often when the stakes get the highest.