MLB trade deadline: Potential landing spots for Lance Lynn

Your name doesn’t have to be Darvish or Gray to help a team’s rotation at the MLB trade deadline. If the Cardinals deal Lance Lynn, where could he go?

With only two days to go until the MLB trade deadline, teams are scrambling to complete deals before the clock strikes 4:00 pm ET on July 31. Contenders are trying to land that one piece to put them over the top, while clubs out of the race attempt to secure the best possible returns for their movable assets.

Starting pitching is always at a premium in this league, whether during the offseason or middle of the summer. This year’s crop of potential trade candidates is rather top-heavy, with a few ace-type starters rumored to be the subject of talks. Yu Darvish of the Rangers, Sonny Gray of the Athletics and even Justin Verlander of the Tigers have all generated a fair amount of buzz leading up to the deadline.

Naturally, for names like those you’ll likely need to give up substantial prospect packages. (See: Oakland reportedly asking the Yankees for Gleyber Torres or Clint Frazier in exchange for Gray.) Not every team can easily meet that kind of asking price, even if they’re squarely in the playoff picture. Fortunately, there are arms to be found on the middle tier of the market that can still alter a division or Wild Card race.

This year’s mid-level options aren’t especially appealing, but there is one hurler in particular teams seem to be turning their focus toward: St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn. The 30-year-old is putting together a strong campaign after missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery. An impending free agent, he boasts a 3.21 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 2.61 K/BB ratio in 120.2 innings.

It sounds like the market for Lynn will be active, but he almost surely won’t cost as much as the likes of Darvish and Gray. Let’s take a look at teams that could be possible fits for Lynn. With his next start scheduled for tomorrow, this is a situation that could be resolved sooner rather than later.

Next: Royals Rising

Kansas City Royals

They’re aliiiiiive! After being left for dead not too long ago, the Royals have rocketed back into the thick of the playoff race. Winners of nine straight, no team in baseball is hotter right now. They’re buyers, as they well should be at only two games behind Cleveland in the AL Central.

Kansas City already made a trade last week to boost its pitching staff, nabbing starter Trevor Cahill and relievers Brandon Maurer and Ryan Buchter from the Padres. The Royals have received solid performances from Jason Vargas (3.00 ERA in 120 IP) and Danny Duffy (3.56 ERA in 101 IP) this year, but some more rotation help certainly couldn’t hurt. KC starters have managed a 4.38 ERA as a unit, good for 13th in baseball. There is definitely some room for improvement there.

MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports that the Royals have indeed engaged the Cardinals about Lynn, though there is no indication how far those discussions progressed. KC’s growing momentum in the standings could encourage them to be aggressive and make another deal.

The Royals have been connected to Gray within the past couple weeks, but Lynn might make more sense for them in terms of cost. Their interest in the Blue Jays’ Francisco Liriano (also per Morosi) provides a general sense of where they’re aiming. However, Lynn would undoubtedly be a better get than the struggling Liriano (5.99 ERA in 17 starts).

Next: Bronx Bound?

New York Yankees

It’s no secret the Yankees are gunning for the postseason and willing to work the trade market to make it happen. They’ve already added a third baseman and two relievers in a deal with the White Sox, and now their attention has rightfully turned to the rotation.

The Yanks’ starting staff has been inconsistent, to say the least. Luis Severino has emerged as the leader of the pack, but virtually everyone else comes with at least one legitimate question mark. With Michael Pineda done for the rest of the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the team has been piecing the fifth spot in the rotation together with Luis Cessa and Caleb Smith. And it sounds increasingly unlikely that Chance Adams will be making his debut in the near future.

If the Yankees are serious about playing meaningful baseball in October, they need to add another dependable arm to their rotation. They have been consistently linked to Sonny Gray, and those talks appeared to have plenty of traction until Jon Heyman reported that Oakland was adamant on getting either Gleyber Torres or Clint Frazier. No deal, as far as the Yanks are concerned.

The Bronx Bombers are apparently interested in Darvish as well, but they might run into the same obstacle in terms of asking price.

Related Story: Yanks shouldn't fear compromise in starter search

Lynn could be a good alternative option to pursue, one that would help the rotation now without forcing the organization to sacrifice too much of its future. The Yanks have indeed shown interest in the Cardinals righty, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. There are some potential red flags (i.e. Lynn’s 1.6 HR/9 in Yankee Stadium), but the Yankees might prefer to take a chance on Lynn rather than pay a ransom for Gray or Darvish.

Next: Going to California

Washington Nationals

Like the Dodgers, the Nationals are also dealing with the absence of an important pitcher. Stephen Strasburg just hit the 10-day DL with a nerve impingement in his right elbow. Washington is optimistic he’ll miss only one turn in the rotation, but Strasburg’s injury history is still worth keeping in mind. Top pitching prospect Erick Fedde will come up to make a start in the meantime.

The Nats rotation has more than enough talent to withstand Strasburg’s DL stint. Max Scherzer is once again a leading Cy Young candidate, sporting a 2.23 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 145.1 innings. Gio Gonzalez is enjoying a bounce-back season, as he’s managed a 2.81 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 134.1 frames.

However, things get a bit shakier after the top three. Tanner Roark has been mediocre (4.83 ERA in 113.2 IP), and 24-year-old Joe Ross also struggled before seeing his season end with Tommy John surgery. The Nationals have recently had to resort to giving starts to Edwin Jackson. He’s actually done a fair job – 3.75 ERA in 12 innings – but that’s unlikely to last.

Next: 5 corner outfield options for Royals

Lance Lynn could help fortify the back-end of the rotation and give the Nats some valuable insurance heading into the stretch run and postseason. Morosi reported that Washington scouted the right-hander’s last start on Tuesday in St. Louis, as he held the Rockies to one run over six frames. The Nationals might not desperately need someone like Lynn, but he could make them an even deeper opponent to face in October.