Zach Buchanan

zbuchanan@enquirer.com

CLEVELAND – Ever since right-hander Michael Lorenzen dealt with an elbow injury and subsequent bout of mononucleosis in March, the Cincinnati Reds have maintained they thought of him as a starter. That thinking could be changing.

On Monday, Reds manager Bryan Price said the team will consider using Lorenzen out of the bullpen whenever he returns to full health.

“If he didn’t have a reliever’s background, I think it would be harder,” Price said. “I think we have to really look at where we are at the time that he’s ready.”

Lorenzen had closed in college when the Reds selected him with the 38th overall pick in the 2013 draft, but Cincinnati used him as a starter in his first full minor-league season a year later. He was called up to the majors as a starter last season, but posted a 5.45 ERA in 21 starts.

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He was moved to the bullpen later in the season to preserve his arm, and had a 1.93 ERA in four September appearances. His velocity jumped in those outings, reaching the high 90s.

“It’s pretty good,” Price said. “It’s a pretty nice demeanor.”

Partly driving Cincinnati’s decision will be the state of its rotation in the coming weeks. Right-handers Jon Moscot and Anthony DeSclafani likely will return in the next couple weeks, and Homer Bailey will demand a spot whenever he comes back.

Cincinnati has also received a surprising performance from Tim Adleman and has top prospects Cody Reed and Robert Stephenson to consider as well.

“I think we have to really look at where we are at the time that he’s ready,” Price said.

That decision could affect Lorenzen’s rehab timeline. Because of his illness, he was forced to start his program over entirely from scratch, and only just recently has begun throwing off a mound.

That would place him at about the equivalent of report day for pitchers and catchers, which is in mid-February. Stretching out as a starter could take a month and a half, while preparing as a reliever could take less time.

“So much is going to happen over the course of the next several weeks to kind of see where our needs are and who’s getting healthier and how these programs are going for all these guys,” Price said. ‘Hopefully Michael doesn’t have any setbacks and he’s with us at some point in June.”

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Anthony DeSclafani threw his second bullpen session Tuesday since he was shut down with a setback to his injured oblique, although the next move for him is undetermined. Price said the team will know more when it returns to Cincinnati on Wednesday.

“He’s not even thinking about his oblique,” Price said. “It seems to be a non-issue at this point in time, knock on wood.”

Whenever DeSclafani is set to head out on rehab assignment, he could follow a similar plan to Moscot’s. Moscot threw 69 pitches in his first rehab start, but will receive another one on May 20 to finish stretching out before returning.

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