With the Chicago Cubs locking up Yu Darvish in the latest big MLB Free Agency move, what’s next for Lance Lynn?
MLB Free Agency just saw one of its top remaining pitchers get snagged up, with the Chicago Cubs inking ace pitcher Yu Darvish to a long-term deal — worth $126 million over six seasons.
The Chicago Cubs no doubt feel the Milwaukee Brewers breathing down their necks, so they are looking to create a bit of separation from their division rivals. Don’t sleep on the St. Louis Cardinals either, whose talented roster could cause some trouble for their NL Central opponents.
Speaking of the Cardinals, their former hurler Lance Lynn is looking to find a place of his own, who rejected the qualifying offer from his previous squad. Where could the right-hander end up in 2018 and beyond?
Recent MLB Free Agency rumors are buzzing that the New York Yankees are looking for more pitching depth, with Lynn on their radar. MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Yankees are carefully looking at three pitchers, with Lynn among the top three on their wishlist.
The question is, are the Yankees willing to pay Lynn $15 million per season over multiple seasons? If they are wise, they should pull the trigger on the undervalued former NL All-Star.
Lynn is now two years removed from Tommy John surgery, and even though his velocity’s dropped a bit, he’s still able to crank it up near 93 MPH — according to Joe Pantorno of the Globe.
"His arsenal did not look unaffected either after the surgery. While he did slightly lose a little bit on his fastball, averaging 92.6 miles per hour in 2017, his cutter and slider have continued to be his most devastating pitches."
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His 2017 season saw a bit of up and downs, but overall he was his usual, effective, dependable self. If you hop on St. Louis Cardinals message boards, you would think Lynn lost 20 games each season. Let’s just say they didn’t appreciate his efforts during his seven years ( six active) with the Cardinals.
He boasted an 11-8 record, 3.43 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 153 strikeouts in 186.1 innings pitched. However, he dished up a career-high 27 home runs and 83 walks ( five intentional), which are items to keep an eye on moving forward.
The New York Mets are also interested in Lynn, making a New York destination even more likely for Indianapolis native. Even though the door is slightly open for him to return to St. Louis, don’t count on that happening with the Redbirds apparently moving on from the career-long Cardinals pitcher.
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The New York Yankees need to reach deep into their wallets this MLB Free Agency and pay Lance Lynn, whose reliability was taken for granted during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals. Even though his asking price may be a little more than his worth, he’d be worth every single penny. Pay that man his money!