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Continuing a recent and unfortunate trend, several notable talents remain in free agency. Spring training is quickly approaching, igniting a sense of urgency in several teams that are in need of some final roster touch-ups. Pitching is often a concern, as front offices scour the market for bullpen and starting rotation reinforcements. Lance Lynn is an ideal candidate for franchises that want to add an affordable veteran arm.
Multiple teams have reportedly expressed interest in the 37-year-old right-hander, but they have a different idea in mind. They inquired about his willingness to transition into the closer role, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
The two-time All-Star served as a reliever early in his MLB career, coming out of the bullpen to help the St. Louis Cardinals win the 2011 World Series (3.27 ERA in 10 games), but has mainly occupied a rotation slot during his 13-year run. He is entertaining the prospect of making such a big change in his remaining playing days.
“I went, ‘Oooooh,'” Lynn told Rosenthal. ‘”Is the second act, the final act of my career, closing games?’ It sounds fun. I was kind of joking with my wife about it. She was like, ‘Cool, I don’t have to be at the start of games. I can just come halfway through and watch you at the end.’”
Will Lance Lynn be best served by working the ninth inning?
Although Lance Lynn posted respectable numbers in his second stint with the Cardinals in 2024 (7-4 with a 3.84 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 117 1/3 innings), it is becoming increasingly harder to envision him as a full-time starter. He missed most of last summer with knee injuries, prompting him to lose roughly 20 pounds during this offseason. Even so, Lynn might struggle to stand out on the open market in his usual role.
Jack Flaherty, Nick Pivetta, Jose Quintana and Andrew Heaney are all still unsigned, so the 2008 first-round draft pick faces stiff competition for rotation jobs. Assuming closer duties could be his best chance of being a valuable contributor this year. Lynn knows how this industry works. Adapting is essential, specifically for players who have an imminent date with Father Time.
Lynn is weighing his options, but there is at least a possibility he embarks on a challenging yet exciting phase of his big-league career.
