Lorenzen's Rockies Debacle Is Over: DFA'd After Brutal 3-11 Slide, Shook Gets the Call

DENVER — The vibes were already bad. Now they're just gone.

The Colorado Rockies have officially designated starter Michael Lorenzen for assignment, ending a miserable tenure that saw the right-hander tumble to 3-11 with a 7.08 ERA. Yeah, you read that right — seven-point-zero-eight. Not exactly the comeback story Colorado signed up for.

From Comeback to Collapse

Lorenzen hasn't tasted a win since June 27. That's not a slump, that's a full-blown disappearing act.

The 34-year-old inked a one-year deal with the Rox back in January, fresh off a season where he punched out a career-high 127 batters in 141 2/3 innings with the Kansas City Royals. The hope? A steady veteran arm to anchor a young rotation. The reality? A walking ERA disaster that Colorado could no longer afford to trot out there.

Enter the Swiss Army Knife

To replace Lorenzen on the roster, the Rockies recalled righty TJ Shook from Triple-A Albuquerque. Shook's big-league numbers this year aren't pretty — 9.53 ERA in 5 2/3 innings across four appearances — but the 28-year-old has been a save machine for the Isotopes, tallying 11 saves down on the farm.

Shook isn't sweating the role, either. In fact, he's embracing the chaos.

"I've been told I've been a Swiss Army knife in the past. So whether that's long relief or short, closing, starting — I've started a lot of games," Shook said Monday before the Rockies kicked off a three-game set against the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. "Honestly, it helps me stay on my toes. I kind of come in with the same mindset — just go out there and pitch, throw up some zeros and get ahead of guys."

Shook was plucked from the New York Mets in last offseason's Rule 5 draft, and now he's got a golden chance to prove he belongs in the Show.

Will the Rockies' bullpen finally catch a break? That remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure — the Lorenzen era in Colorado is officially done.