HOUSTON — In an empty stadium.
In front of no fans.
Facing his teammates.
Michael Lorenzen took an important step towards joining the Detroit Tigers starting rotation.
Lorenzen, who is recovering from a groin injury, threw three innings of a simulated game against three of his teammates on Monday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
“He was pain-free,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He threw the ball very well. He had no adrenaline whatsoever on a live BP (batting practice) day. With no one in the stands, he still had pretty decent stuff. So he faced three hitters.