After 2024, Lance Lynn is looking for a new place to call home. Lynn, 37, was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008 and played with them for the first six years of his career. He signed a one-year, $11 million deal for 2024 with a club option for 2025. The Cardinals, looking toward a youth movement, declined the club options of both Lynn and Kyle Gibson. Lynn, who would have been owed $12 million next year, now receives a buyout of $1 million. Gibson was on a similar contract and received a $1 million buyout.
Veteran Pitcher Plans To Play In 2025
Why Part With Veteran Pitching?
In 2024, Lynn threw for a 3.84 ERA over 117.1 innings. This is his best figure since his All-Star 2021 campaign with the Chicago White Sox. However, he displayed an overall inconsistency throughout the season and was sidelined for August and September with a knee injury.
With the emergence of Andre Pallante as a bona fide back-end starter and the trade-deadline acquisition of Erick Fedde, Lynn’s place in the rotation would not have necessarily been concrete, even if he had been available for those months.
As first reported by John Denton of MLB.com, Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak is seeking “ultimate flexibility”. This could involve a trade of either Miles Mikolas or Steven Matz if a team is willing to take on their contract.
The Cardinals also have options in the minor leagues who might push for innings. RHP Tink Hence and LHP Quinn Mathews are the number 2 and 3 organizational prospects, respectively. After a strong 2024 season, Mathews recently won the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award.
What Could Lynn Command On The Market?
Also, within this story, updates on …
Sonny Gray
JoJo Romero
And Lance LynnCardinals have an option on Lynn for 2025, and after a knee injury ended his summer, the veteran right-hander plans to pitch next season, whether he’s a free agent or he’s back. https://t.co/gAM0gBT0Xm
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) October 23, 2024
According to Derrick Goold, Lynn plans to continue playing in 2025. While age might play a factor in his availability on the mound, Lynn has never been dependent upon overpowering velocity or frisbee-like movement. In 2024, his combined usage of the four-seam fastball, the cutter, and the sinker totaled 86.2%. Being only in the 15th percentile of GB%, Lynn is highly dependent upon his command and pitch mixing to get outs and keep his viability as a starter.
Lynn has performed as an adequate starter for almost a decade now. It’s likely that a team will take a flyer on him being able to do so in 2025.
While Kyle Gibson outperformed him during their tenure, Lynn is likely to receive a similar contract—around $8-10 million—on a fringe playoff team. He will unlikely get more than one year, although a club option structured like his contract with the Cardinals is possible.
In a relatively deep free-agent class for pitchers, Lynn should provide value similar to those of Alex Cobb or Wade Miley, both free agents and expected-to-find teams.
Main Photo Credits: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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