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Chicago White Sox have elite rotation after acquiring Lance Lynn

By Ryota Nishino

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 13: Lance Lynn of the Texas Rangers pitches. He just joined the Chicago White Sox. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 13: Lance Lynn of the Texas Rangers pitches. He just joined the Chicago White Sox. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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The Chicago White Sox just acquired Lance Lynn from the Rangers. They now have a top tier starting rotation in the MLB.

The Chicago White Sox finished 35-25 in the 2020 regular season, made the postseason, but were knocked out in the first round by the Athletics 2-1. Chicago had a very solid offense led by 2020 AL MVP Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson, and Eloy Jimenez. The starting rotation was not all that bad either, but it was not elite.

However, the White Sox changed how I viewed its starting rotation after trading for Lance Lynn. The Texas Rangers traded away its ace in exchange for Dane Dunning and Avery Weems. Dane Dunning was the 5th ranked White Sox prospect and the 98th overall MLB prospect. Avery Weems was the 6th round pick in the 2019 MLB draft by the White Sox and is not in the White Sox’s top 30 prospects.

In 2020, the Chicago White Sox rotation looked like this:

  • Lucas Giolito (26 years old)
    • 72.1 IP
    • 3.48 ERA
    • 97 K’s
    • 1.037 WHIP
  • Dallas Keuchel (32 years old)
    • 63.1 IP
    • 1.99 ERA
    • 42 K’s
    • 1.089 WHIP
  • Dylan Cease (24 years old)
    • 58.1 IP
    • 4.01 ERA
    • 44 K’s
    • 1.440 WHIP
  • Dane Dunning (25 years old)
    • 34.0 IP
    • 3.97 ERA
    • 35 K’s
    • 1.118 WHIP
  • Reynaldo Lopez (26 years old)
    • 26.1 IP
    • 6.49 ERA
    • 24 K’s
    • 1.633 WHIP
  • Gio Gonzalez (35 years old)
    • 31.2 IP
    • 4.83 ERA
    • 34 K’s
    • 1.863 WHIP

Now for 2021, they will probably slot Lance Lynn in right after Keuchel. The one-time All-Star pitcher threw a 3.32 ERA in 13 outings. Lynn led the league in innings pitched and struck out 89 batters while posting a 1.060 WHIP.

He was an absolute workhorse for the Rangers and has had some really good years in his career. I think the White Sox got a really good veteran pitcher that is underrated and still going strong at 33 years old.

Lynn’s average fastball velocity has been extremely steady since he began pitching in the MLB in 2011. Interestingly enough, Lynn’s fastball velocity dropped a couple of points during the middle of his career, but his fastball took a big jump up in 2018. Ever since then, his fastball velocity has been 94mph+.

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