Michael Lorenzen is available from the Rangers, a source told The Post — and you wonder if that is the extent of it with the defending champs.
Texas swept the White Sox in midweek to move within 2 ¹/₂ games of first in the AL West and appeared on the definite don’t sell even if it doesn’t buy list.
But then the Blue Jays swept the Rangers three games over the weekend.
Texas is still just 4 ¹/₂ out of first with key players such as Josh Jung, Evan Carter, Tyler Mahle and perhaps Jacob deGrom nearing returns from the injured list.
But Lorenzen is one of seven free-agent pitchers who, at minimum, the Rangers would consider dealing if they were to become more of a full seller — also Jose Leclerc, David Robertson, Kirby Yates, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and Max Scherzer. Lorenzen was traded at the deadline from Detroit to Philadelphia.
The righty has a 3.87 ERA and because of his history also relieving, he could be the type that helps a contender out of the rotation for the rest of the season and perhaps the bullpen in the playoffs.
In an age when having six playoff slots in both leagues deepens indecision regarding whether to buy or sell and when exactly to jump into the market, there may never be anything like the 2024 Rays.
Tampa Bay determined its playoff chances were not great sharing a division with the Orioles, Yankees and Red Sox and that there were not a lot of sellers, so the Rays jumped into the market first (trading starter Aaron Civale to the Brewers on July 3) and on Sunday they completed their fifth (Jason Adam to San Diego) and sixth (Isaac Paredes to the Cubs) deals of this cycle — on the same day they improved to 54-52.
And they are both not done and also not done believing they could still make a playoff run. This is an organization, after all, that played brilliantly down the stretch last season after losing its best starter Shane McClanahan to Tommy John surgery and position player in shortstop Wander Franco to clerical leave around legal issues.
The Rays are expected to put a few obtained pieces like Christopher Morel from the Cubs on the roster, promote well-regarded prospect Junior Caminero and see rehabbing starters Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen return soon.
In dealing Adam, Civale, Paredes, Randy Arozarena, Zach Eflin and Phil Maton, the Rays had saved more than $13 million in 2024 plus a lot more in 2025, notably in Eflin’s $18 million salary and wherever Arozarena’s arbitration salary will go.
They are expected to at least trade walk-year reliever Shawn Armstrong, second baseman Brandon Lowe and infielder Amed Rosario still, and are listening on first baseman Yandy Diaz, starter Zach Littell and relievers Peter Fairbanks and Colin Poche.
It is growing into the largest sell-off ever — for a team over .500 that has not completely surrendered on this year.