7 starting pitchers the Cleveland Guardians should target at the trade deadline

7. Michael Lorenzen, Texas Rangers

Given his versatility, it's a shock to me that Michael Lorenzen was never a Terry Francona addition. Now, the 2024 Cleveland Guardians might be in line to add the veteran starter, a pitcher who is a combination of many of the names mentioned with the potential to play the outfield.

Lorenzen is right in the middle of this list in a lot of ways. At 32-years-old, he's right in the middle of the age range that spans from Flaherty to Gibson. He's also coming off a 2023 All-Star appearance, but what might be the most intriguing part of Lorenzen is his contract. He's signed for just one-year worth $4.5 million.

That contract is by far the lowest on this list and would be the biggest bang for Cleveland's buck. This year, Lorenzen has posted an ERA of 3.00 through 12 starts. The only hold-up for Lorenzen would be his longevity. He's really only been a starter the last few seasons, starting just five games from 2016-2021. While he doesn't go too long into games, he's consistent. He's fallen short of five innings of work just once this year but has gone beyond 6.1 innings only twice.

As for the fit, I'm not sold Texas will be dealing at the trade deadline. They're about to get Max Scherzer back and are still tied for second in their division. Seattle will be hard to catch, 10 games up, but a wild card spot should be attainable. It will really depend on what happens between now and the deadline.