Perrotto: Justin Lawrence Once Unwanted, Now Key Loss

The timing of Justin Lawrence reaching the waiver wire was odd.

The Colorado Rockies designated the right-handed reliever for assignment in late February. Normally, players don’t get DFA’d until the final days of spring training when teams cut their rosters down to the 26-man limit for opening day.

However, the Rockies weren’t upset with Lawrence. They did Lawrence a favor by giving him ample time to go to another team and prove he should be on an opening-day roster.

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed a claim and were awarded the 30-year-old on March 3, taking on his $975,000 salary. Lawrence has proven to be a bargain for the Pirates, perhaps their biggest surprise.

Lawrence has allowed only one run in 10 games and 10.1 innings for a sparkling 0.84 ERA. Opponents have managed just five hits off Lawrence, who has struck out 14 and walked four.

So, it was a blow on Thursday night when the Pirates placed Lawrence on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation before losing to the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 in Anaheim.

Lawrence wasn’t looking to break up with the Rockies, the only organization he had ever played for. They chose him in the 12th round of the 2015 amateur draft from Daytona State College in Florida, and he reached the major leagues in 2021.

“You could say that I didn’t expect to be taken off the roster but coming off a bad year the year before and having a couple rough outings (in spring training) where I wasn’t really able to get the ball in the (strike) zone, I guess I understood why they did it,” Lawrence said. “I came to camp ready to roll and was looking to tweak a few things before the season started. But they decided to do it when they did it, and I like to look at things positively. The Rockies have good people over there. I’d like to think they tried to help me when they knew I wasn’t in their plans. I feel like I’m in a good situation now with the Pirates.”

Lawrence did indeed have a bad year in 2024. He was 4-4 with a 6.49 ERA in 56 games, and his WHIP was 1.777.

Yet the Pirates bet on Lawrence regaining his 2023 form. That year, he was 4-7 with 11 saves, a 3.72 ERA and 1.347 WHIP in 69 appearances.

So far, the Pirates have gotten the 2023 Lawrence, who baffles hitters with his sweeper that comes from a sidearm motion and is particularly difficult for right-hander hitters to see. Lawrence has been unscored on in his last 10 outings after allowing one run in one inning in his Pirates’ debut against the Marlins on March 29 in Miami.

“That was a definite bonus,” manager Derek Shelton said of having the opportunity to add Lawrence in spring training. “I mean, we know the stuff has always been really good. The sweeper grades out as one of the best sweepers in the game. The previous issues had been command, and putting the ball on the plate, and knock on wood, so far, he’s done a really good job with that. He’s stayed in attack mode and has pitched to contact and done a really good job.”

Lawrence is also learning that life can be good while pitching at a lower altitude.

“I loved the Rockies and pitching in Denver, but I always wondered what it would be like to have a season away from Coors Field,” Lawrence said with a smile.

Coors Field, the Rockies’ mile-high home ballpark, is a notorious hitters’ park, and Lawrence’s career ERA there is 6.96. It is 3.68 everywhere else.

Now the Pirates must keep their fingers crossed that Lawrence’s injury isn’t serious.