Royals acquire Lorenzen from Rangers

The Kansas City Royals acquired veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers for left-handed reliever Walter Pennington, the teams announced Monday.

Lorenzen signed a one-year, $4.5-million contract with the Rangers in the offseason. The 32-year-old emerged as a reliable member of the rotation, posting a 5-6 record with a 3.81 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts across 19 starts.

Lorenzen will likely join a Royals rotation that ranks fourth in the league in ERA (3.56) and third in innings pitched (602 1/3) this season.

Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said Monday that Lorenzen is expected to report to the team later this week and his role is "still to be determined," according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers.

Pennington, 26, made his MLB debut earlier in July. He has put together a strong season at Triple-A, amassing a 2.26 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings.