PITTSBURGH -- Michael Lorenzen’s breakout season will continue in a new home. The Tigers announced that they traded the All-Star right-hander to the Phillies ahead of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline in exchange for infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee, Philadelphia's No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline.

Lorenzen is the first example of the pitching development line that Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris looked to use to build trade assets in Detroit, a track that served him well as general manager for the Giants.

“I said [last] offseason I wanted to rebrand the Tigers as a place where players know they can come and get better,” Harris said. “Our first test was Michael Lorenzen, and he trusted us. … I think that whole story, start to finish, is a big win for this organization and our staff, and a lot of people put a lot of time and effort into making that a reality.”

TRADE DETAILS
Phillies receive: RHP Michael Lorenzen
Tigers receive: Minor League INF Hao-Yu Lee

Lorenzen and the Tigers agreed on a one-year, $8.5 million contract in December, with a goal to help him take the next step in his development as a full-time starter after spending the first half of his career with the Reds largely as a reliever. The 31-year-old became an All-Star in Detroit while blossoming into a front-line starter who could eat innings efficiently.

"The staff here, they followed through on their promise for me: 'You're going to come here, we're going to make you better.' They definitely did that," Lorenzen said. "I told Scott on the phone, 'You followed through, and I appreciate that.'"

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Lorenzen posted a 5-7 record, a 3.58 ERA and a 3.88 FIP in 18 starts. He tossed 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings over a five-start stretch ending last week, the longest such streak by a Tigers starter since Michael Fulmer’s AL Rookie of the Year campaign in 2016. Along the way, Lorenzen whittled down what was once a seven-pitch arsenal to focus on mixing fastballs, sinkers, sliders, sweepers and changeups for each opponent.

"Michigan was incredible, Detroit incredible," Lorenzen said. "Me and my wife, we loved everything about it. We appreciate Tigers fans and the city."

Said Harris: “I think Michael led the way with a lot of our pitchers. He was obsessed with getting better every single day and making the pitchers around him better. That’s the type of clubhouse influence that we want here. We want to thank Michael and his family for doing everything they did to make us better.”

While Lorenzen’s starting success opened eyes, his experience as a reliever over seven seasons in Cincinnati to begin his career made him an appealing target for contenders who could stick him in the rotation for the stretch run and then use him out of the bullpen for multiple innings in the postseason. Unlike his former Tigers teammate Eduardo Rodriguez, Lorenzen will be a free agent at season’s end, with no opt-outs involved.

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Among those drawn to Lorenzen’s versatility was former Tigers general manager and current Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who swung a deal with his old club for the second time in eight months. Detroit sent reliever Gregory Soto and infielder Kody Clemens to Philadelphia in January for infielder Nick Maton and outfielder Matt Vierling.

The 20-year-old Lee, signed out of Taiwan two years ago, is a versatile infielder and contact hitter who could have power potential as he physically matures. Primarily a second baseman, he’s hitting .283 (70-for-247) with 12 doubles, five home runs, 26 RBIs and a .773 OPS at High-A Jersey Shore. He has also stolen 14 bases in 17 attempts. He will report to High-A West Michigan, where he will continue to move around the infield.

“Hao-Yu Lee is the type of position-playing prospect that we’ve been after,” Harris said. “He’s hit at every level, he’s still very young and he swings at the right pitches. He makes a ton of contact and he drives the ball in the air. We also think that the power is going to come. We need more of those types of bats in our system, and we’re excited to add one.”