The two-year, $38MM extension that Lance Lynn signed with the White Sox in July 2021 also contained some partial no-trade protection, allowing Lynn to block deals to 10 teams per year. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the 10 clubs on Lynn’s no-trade list are the Padres, Dodgers, Giants, Cardinals, Mets, Angels, Mariners, Yankees, Rays, and Blue Jays. Several of those teams are known be looking for pitching as the deadline approaches, though of Lynn’s 10 listed clubs, only Tampa Bay has been linked to the veteran right-hander to date.
This no-trade clause might not be much of an obstacle, as Rosenthal figures that Lynn would welcome the chance to join a contender. There is also an $18MM club option on Lynn’s services that figures to be bought out (for $1MM) by the Sox or a new team, considering that Lynn has struggled to a 6.18 ERA over 115 innings this season. Though home runs have been Lynn’s biggest issue, Rosenthal argues that joining a better defensive team would help Lynn’s fortunes, and some of his advanced metrics (like a 3.88 SIERA and a 27.3% strikeout rate) suggest that his ERA isn’t reflective of how well he has pitched in 2023.
More from around the AL Central…
- The Guardians are looking for a starting pitcher and a “complementary bat” at the deadline, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said during a recent edition of The Front Office on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter links). Injuries have thinned out Cleveland’s pitching staff, but offense might still be the bigger need given how inconsistent the Guards’ lineup has been all season. However, Antonetti felt that the Guardians will helped by Bo Naylor getting regular playing time, as well as the revived bats of Josh Bell and Andres Gimenez. “If there’s an opportunity to add another complementary bat that can ideally add some versatility, contribute in the outfield or get some at-bats at DH, that might be a place where we could also look to improve,” Antonetti said.
- Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey shared his own wishlist during his own appearance on the Front Office (Twitter links), as Minnesota is looking at “ways to fortify the middle of” the bullpen, and possibly “more options late in the game.” Falvey also said the Twins would like to add a right-handed hitter to a mostly left-handed lineup, but he praised the contributions of Donovan Solano and Kyle Farmer (both righty-swingers) to the roster since Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton have “struggled at times.”
- Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told MLB.com’s Jason Beck and other reporters that Spencer Turnbull is lined up for rehab starts on Tuesday and Sunday with the Tigers’ high-A affiliate. Turnbull hasn’t pitched since May 6 due to neck discomfort, so he is already eligible to return from the 60-day injured list whenever he is fully ramped up. It has been another tough setback for Turnbull, who missed some of the 2021 season and all of 2022 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
King of Cards
Lynn put the Cardinals on his no trade list that’s awesome lol. Can’t blame him. He got hurt and we discarded him like a bag of old groceries for Mike Leake. That’s when the team stopped winning for a while.
Anyways carry on. Ready for some trades.
avenger65
Apparently Lynn isn’t fond of the west coast.
BrianStrowman9
I think he blocked the teams that in his mind thought would be competitive and potentially interested in him.
But it is heavy on the WC clubs. The A’s weren’t gonna be good and wouldn’t pay his salary. He left Colorado and Arizona off though. You’ll see a lot of WC action playing there.
kma
Bumgarner did the same thing and it worked!
stymeedone
Maybe he wanted to avoid that 9% CAL tax.
TroyVan
Or, he blocked those teams to get paid a bonus. “If you want me to waive my no trade clause, it’ll cost you $250k for moving expenses and inconvenience”.
I wonder if anyone has ever done that sort of thing.
Motor City Beach Bum
Turnbull gets back just in time to take the spot of Erod or Lorenzen once they get traded at the deadline. If he pitches like he can maybe they don’t lose a step or take a step forward if they can add a nice piece on offence (Jonathan India?, Justin Foscue?).
tammelinb
The negative with India is his defense. His bat is better than 90% of the team though, so ♂️
stymeedone
Is India really that much of an upgrade from Ibanez? I’d rather see Detroit get back a prospect, than an average 2B. Preferably a 3B or C.
falconsball1993
His bat 100% is
Motor City Beach Bum
Ibanez is a ba kup on a good team and India is a starter. India can play 3B too. Minor league 3B Sal Stewart has wicked stats (more walks than Ks). In an ideal world I’d be happy if they sent a package to Cincy for both. Something for now and something for later.
oscar gamble
Stymeedone: The Tigers adding position players that are average would improve the team wouldn’t it?
Motor City Beach Bum
I like the looks of Justin Foscue in Texas and Tyler Black with Milwaukee too. Both are Harris type hitters with more walks than K’s and good OPS. Could play 2B or 3B. Lots of other options out there. Hopefully he is able to upgrade one of the positions at the deadline. With Keith likely coming up next year I agree that a 3B would be better.
BrianStrowman9
Just to let you guys know—India has been slightly below average at the plate since his rookie year.
D24
ERod and Lorenzen to the Reds for CES and Noelvi Marte.
Ejoey
Just CES and we’ll throw in Cisnero and a prospect.l
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
No big top prospects just for rentals, sorry bucco.
Ejemp2006
We’ll send you Mize, Baez, Lorenzen, and ERod and we’d gladly take back a top 50 prospect just to have our books cleared of the Avila era decisions.
Stat_head
You forgot Greene, Skubal, Tork, Manning, and Carpenter. Assuming you want to clear the decks from Avila’s bad decisions.
Ejemp2006
Zing! Yes, I admit, I’m still upset about Avila’s big ticket purchases: Baez and Zimmerman.
denny816
His no trade list looks like the favorites list to win it all every season. I would stay far away from a guy who puts together a list like that. doesn’t want to play for a perennial contender.
Dustyslambchops23
Weird and bad take
it’s just leverage
okaybluejays
Or he chose contenders for his NTC for leverage. Perhaps he played the odds and now has more control over which contender he potentially gets traded to, instead of just going to the team that the Sox feel is the best deal for them.
snoopy369
He’s just put contenders on there so he can extract value from trades – usually guaranteeing an option or something like that, or else letting him say no if there’s a reason to. No reason to put the A’s on the list – you only put decent teams.
avenger65
He put the Yankees on his no-trade list because of the yank’s antiquated facial and head hair issues. Someone should tell Steinbrenner it’s the twenty-first century and his players don’t need to look like Catholic school boys.
For Love of the Game
No need to look like mountain men either! At least keep it neat.
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Let’s just hope they let the curtains match the drapes, oi vey
Alkie
It’s all part of the sad and hilarious nonsense the Yankee org still thinks is relevant in an attempt to cling desperately to a century where they were still winners.
PoisonedPens
I wouldn’t worry about that too much; the NYY have Lynn on their no trade list. They had to do a rush late-season ball order because he gave up so many HRs in pinstripes.
JayRyder
WOW, he has all the Contenders on his list !
trog
I know. The Rangers are complete garbage this year. love, captain sarcasm
Jacksson13
In all fairness, both Buxton and Correa have only struggled from April thru July.
rocky7
Screw the metic and analytics….Lynn stinks!
phantomofdb
“at times”
cwsOverhaul
Whoever trades for Lynn better have an excellent offense.
Mjam90
But didn’t you read a better defense helps him. Meanwhile the problem is the ball going 50 feet over the fence
stymeedone
And a good buffet after the game.
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
I think they could get a High-A bat boy for Lynn, and that’s if the WS pay his freight
FloridaSportsGuy
So he’d rather go to Miami than Tampa Bay? Ok then.
BrianStrowman9
I think he expected the Marlins to be dog isht this year. They aren’t as good as their record but they’re much better than most anticipated.
Mjam90
How does a better defense help Lynn? What is the LF supposed to set up 15 rows deep in the stands? Dude gives up massive homers defense doesn’t matter. God help who acquires him
BrianStrowman9
Can we trade the twins Bryan Baker this year? We’ll take Jorge back and fix him plus some additional prospect capital!
Samuel
Bstrowman9;
LOL
I cringed when Baker came in the game tonight. You just can’t pitch the man in a close game. He’ll get a little rocky then start throwing pitches a foot out of the strike zone – some left, some right, some too high, some in the dirt. So he does what all pitchers do when that happens – he starts grooving balls into the strike zone….and the opposition is waiting for it.
I get that the O’s are patient with their players. They stick by them and can bring them through things. Cionel has turned it around – although I don’t think he threw one breaking ball for a strike tonight. But it’s getting to the point with Baker where they have to use him in mop-up duty only….but they’re going to have to fix Fujinami by using him there. We’re on the verge of the stretch run – time is getting short.
–
One other thing….
“Colton Cowser’s throw, hit help lift surging Orioles over Phillies” – the headline of a story on the game from a national sports outlet tonight.
Uh, no. This is how myths are created and fans get the wrong impression about a player…..
Unless Cowser’s arm is on the fritz, he has one of the weakest / most inaccurate ML OF arms I’ve seen in a long time. The Phillies scored the tying run on a fly ball to him in short CF that should have gotten the runner at the plate – it was offline and weak so the pitcher cut it off. Then on the play at the plate that they got Harper on, Mateo intercepted Cowser’s weak and offline throw, and with his strong accurate arm he got Harper trying to score the tying run at the plate by an eyelash.
Word gets around MLB quickly. The O’s play a lot of tight games. Unless his arm is injured, playing Cowser in RF or CF with his arm is going to cost them games. Not even sure the young man can play in LF. He’s fine if his team is an also run, but playing on a pennant contender is asking for it. O’s have to do rehab on his throwing as well.
BrianStrowman9
Yeah, Baker is not a high leverage arm. Absolutely brutal. The problem is that we don’t have enough high leverage arms. When Cano and Bautista are unavailable—we’re in trouble. We may have to pay the full freight for a reliever who isn’t a project this year to go along w/ Fuji. (I’m still hopeful for Tate but it’s a risk to bank on him.)
Cowser has an average arm—-if you remember Mullins when he first came up—he was getting tested constantly. He became a great defender but wasn’t quite that initially. He obviously came up when the O’s stunk so we could be extremely patient. Not the case now.
Ive been saying Cowser made some sense to me as a potential trade chip. We have a ton of OF’ers in the minors that are going to be ready by the time we need them. The OF is full next year with or without Cowser. Kjerstad and Mayo are knocking on the door too.
We’ll have a high price tag but if there’s a controllable starter on the market—I think it makes some sense to consider Cowser.
Samuel
Bstrowman9;
Good point about Mullins.
But when they were working on developing his arm, the team was rebuilding. Today they’re a contender. A bad arm can cost them a game that makes a large difference….and opposing contenders will take advantage of it.
BrianStrowman9
Also , Schwarber’s failed dive on his “double” was painful to watch too. A real OF’er gets that ball.
Pache would’ve had it without a full dive……
BrianStrowman9
Hopefully we iron Fuji out though. I don’t love the available reliever market at this point. I can’t imagine Elias paying top dollar for a David Bednar or something.
Hopefully Cionel is on track. That I am not sure about though. He’s looked better recently but he’s certainly not the 2022 version. Obviously if he can return to anywhere close to that and Tate comes back like 2022–the bullpen is solved internally. 2 big if’s though. Exciting time. Should be an exciting deadline. Love to watch Elias work. I’m sure the targets he has right now are nowhere near my radar.
Samuel
Am sure Sig Mejdal and his staff have been on it for a while now. The pitching coaches and analysts as well.
One possibility is to offer a prospect such as Cowser for a veteran relief pitcher with a decent track record if his team will pay down the man’s salary. One poster here proposed Robertson and another pitcher. But he’s owed something like $3m-plus for the remaining 2 months. Maybe the Mets could pay down that salary, but I couldn’t see the O’s giving up a prospect they’ve invested so much in for 2 months of a relief pitcher. If they went that route what they’d be looking for is a relief pitcher on a contract through 2024 that his teams would pay some on. The problem there is that relief pitchers are notoriously inconsistent, so a guy that looks good today could well be a total wash out in 2024. The O’s FO seems to understand that teams have to develop their own pitchers under contract, and continue to work with them year-round. They can’t be stuck with a high-salaried veteran that they have to pitch no matter how lousy he is – the O’s are not the Yankees.
BrianStrowman9
I think we could absorb a couple million bucks but not for Cowser. A D-Rob ought to cost less in prospect capital. I could see a starter/reliever combo deal involving Cowser though. I think the O’s intentionally left space in their budget for the potential to add some guys at the deadline.
Mjam90
It’s plain and simple. Lance Lynn is to fat to be a starter with the new rules. He didn’t change his diet or cardio and has hugely struggled. Pitching isn’t a fat man’s game anymore and he is a very fat man
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
But who would win in an Alek Manoah-Lance Lynn slap boxing match ?
TigersFan55
Manoah
Mikenmn
Interesting that three of the five teams Lynn has pitched for, SL, TOR and NYY are on his no trade list. Says something
Dustyslambchops23
Are you confusing Lynn for someone else?
iverbure
I wonder how many players have Toronto on their no trades lists? I’m guessing just about every one that have no trade clauses with 10 teams are more.
Dustyslambchops23
Makes sense since it’s the only non US team.
iverbure
It makes sense to me I can’t prove it because I have no facts, but I do think it’s true. Which if it is it would be nice if fans would understand that most free agents don’t want to sign in Toronto.
Dustyslambchops23
Ah I wouldn’t go that far.
If they pay players will come, which is true for most non top destinations
iverbure
If you have pay above market value you shouldn’t be signing them.
Dustyslambchops23
Outside of cheap rebound 1 year deals, all free agency isn’t good value
It’s not like players are giving “top destinations” discounts, everyone is paying
dazedatnoon
He has been homer prone, but how many starters have had 10+ K games this year.
He has 4
There is risk but also plenty of reward for a contender
Dustyslambchops23
Could help a team down the stretch and could move to the pen for the playoffs
iverbure
Considering how bad the reds rotation wise. I think there’s a fit there. He’ll be inexpensive prospect wise and I’m sure the white will have to pay some of his remaining contract. He’ll probably pitch better in playoff race.
CKinSTL
Unless the Guardians are getting a significant offensive upgrade that factors into 2024 and beyond.. I’d just prefer they get a better look at David Fry, Tyler Freeman and/or Arias.
thedrewf
Cleveland should be selling or doing nothing. They are the youngest team in the MLB and we are seeing a lot of sophomore slumps. 2023 is not gonna be their year, so don’t blow the farm trying to make it such.
The Saber-toothed Superfife
One stop shopping s/b available in Detroit.
Bjoe
Yet another AL Central update sans my poor Royals.
The Saber-toothed Superfife
Good point. Tigers SHOULD HIRE their conditioning coach…….
CaptainHooks
I believe Nelson Cruz is still available.
Better 2023 BA than Buxton or Correa.
No cost addition of a right handed power bat with good average and a plus player/batting coach.
Cruz could help all the hitters on the Twins in setting up for the playoffs.
martras
Falvey should keep his mouth shut on the criticism of players HE went out of his way to get. The biggest problem with the franchise starts with him and his long list of mistakes.
I don’t see the Twins bullpen as a significant issue. Getting more than 0-3 runs on the board per game is the issue.
Samuel
martras;
He and his GM careen this way and that every year or two – they’ll try defense and speed, then power hitting, then investing in relief pitching, the last 2 years it was building up the starting pitching. This is not a good organization that develops ALL their players. Put them in a group with the Yankees ownership/FO along with that of the Cubs, Angels, Blue Jays, Padres, and a half-other MLB franchise. They don’t build solid team and farm systems…..they “fill holes”.
The Saber-toothed Superfife
They’ll have to include Foley, you know.
cleveland_spider
Yankees don’t need Lynn. They have Sean Casey!!
cleveland_spider
Guardians should just ride out the season with the kids and see what shakes loose. I hate trading prospects for players that are considered “complimentary “. Trading a package of prospects for a difference maker would be better. Guards offense needs that
OHjohns
Twins GM is driving me nuts.
Pagan isn’t very good in clutch time. I understand adding a bullpen piece. But the offense is atrocious. They need 2-3 guys that can contribute without striking out. That’s all. Move runners.