Michael Lorenzen has cleared waivers and elected free agency after a brief, rough stint with the Blue Jays.

The move gives the veteran right-hander an early start on his offseason, according to the MLB.com transaction log.

His time in Toronto lasted just six appearances in low-leverage relief after signing in late August.

He allowed at least one run in five of those six outings, taking the loss twice.

His final appearance came Sept. 15 against the Tigers, a brutal line of five runs allowed across two innings. Toronto designated him for assignment days later.

Why the numbers cap off a genuinely rough season overall

Colorado didn't go any better earlier in the year. His $8 million free agent deal with the Rockies never panned out, allowing more than seven earned runs per nine across 115.2 innings before his release in mid-August.

The Rockies remain on the hook for the bulk of that salary, minus the prorated league minimum he earned during his brief Toronto stint.

For the full season between both clubs, Lorenzen finishes with a 7.21 ERA over 127.1 innings, nearly a full run higher than any other pitcher who reached 100 innings this year.

Former Rockies teammate Kyle Freeland has the second-worst mark among that group at 6.38, putting Lorenzen's season in real historical context for how difficult it's been.

Given that overall body of work, a minor-league deal with a spring training invite looks like the realistic path forward this offseason, a significant step down from the guaranteed money he commanded entering this year.

For Toronto, this closes out a short chapter that never really found traction, one small piece of a bullpen that's cycled through arms constantly all season.