DECEMBER 18, 12:30pm: The Texas club has announced the signing.
11:41am: Lynn will receive a $4MM signing bonus, along with salaries of $8MM, $10MM, and $8MM, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). The deal also includes a one-time $100K assignment bonus in the event that Lynn is shipped out west (to the Angels, Dodgers, D-Backs, Rockies, Padres, Athletics, Giants, or Mariners).
DECEMBER 12: The Rangers are nearing a deal with veteran free agent hurler Lance Lynn, according to MLB.com’s TR Sullivan (via Twitter). It’s said to be a rather surprising three-year arrangement with a strong $30MM guarantee, with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand adding the financial details on Twitter.
Last winter, Lynn seemed in line for a significant, long-term deal before he settled for a pillow contract with the Twins. After turning in middling results in the ensuing campaign, it did not seem likely he’d get a terribly lengthy arrangement this time around.
MLBTR predicted a two-year, $16MM pact. That felt terribly rich to anyone that failed to look beneath his 4.77 ERA from 2018. But Lynn did show some intriguing underlying numbers, particularly after landing with the Yankees in a mid-season swap. To be sure, Lynn continued to post suboptimal bottom-line numbers in New York. But he racked up a 61:14 K/BB ratio in his 54 1/3 innings, a notable improvement in that regard over his career numbers that was perhaps linked to some changes in his pitch usage patterns. Lynn also drew grounders at a career-best 49.7% rate over the course of the season.
There’s also a broader track record to consider. The veteran righty had long turned in impressive campaigns with the Cardinals, never once averaging over four earned per nine in his six seasons in St. Louis and wrapping up his time there with a 3.38 ERA in nearly one thousand frames. Lynn was even typically effective upon returning from Tommy John surgery in 2017. But ERA estimators did not buy into that version of the hurler (4.82 FIP, 4.75 xFIP, 4.85 SIERA), which made it somewhat unsurprising to see his market collapse in the ensuing winter.
In any event, the market clearly valued Lynn’s impressive late showing with the Yanks this time around, which helps even things out for the former first overall draft pick. It’s the second consecutive season in which the Rangers have given out a reasonably aggressive three-year contract for a starting pitcher, with last winter’s Mike Minor deal working out well thus far.
Of course, the Texas staff still faces questions, but this move changes the complexion of the unit. In addition to Minor and now Lynn, the Rangers will feature TJ-returnees Drew Smyly and Edinson Volquez. All of those four veterans have had notable successes at times, but each has also endured health issues and performance lapses in the recent past. The Rangers could compete the remaining job among younger pitchers, or might continue dabbling with the utilization of an opener.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nooooooo
Thank The Lord
You’re welcome…Voda Bong!!
Three years???
Guy got on track after a rocky start. He’s only 31 years old and his peripherals were great in NY. I don’t mind that kind of signing. Sharpened his control and everything.
Hes a home run pitcher in a home run park. Before that three years are up both player and team will completely regret it. Probably before year one.
A career .8 HR/9 isn’t a home run pitcher.
Yes he is. Just watch.
“on track after a rocky start”????? guess you didn’t see any of his Yankee games for the most part…..any pressure and he didn’t perform very well.
Don’t look at his averages because they didn’t tell the real story.
He’s a one pitch pitcher…fastball…fastball….fastball….and boom over the fence. His secondary pitches aren’t very affective and he lives on the fastball.
Rocky rocky rocky. Another factless comment. He gave up 2 hrs in 54 innings as a Yankee. Sorry he gave up a couple runs in a spot he shouldn’t have been in in the playoffs. Stop with the nonsense.
THREE YEARS???? LOL
Good for him. Would have been fine with him back in the Bronx in the bullpen but he’s a good fit for Texas
in the bullpen lol of course anyone would if it’s in the bullpen
Seems my first reaction was same as everyone else. Three years?!
Thank heavens I won’t have to hear about him potentially staying in the Bronx anymore.
$30 million guaranteed over 3 seasons seems like a lot for Lynn but he showed he can be decent with low expectations when he was with the Yankees. Still shocking though
Thing is, $10/yr is not a huge amount anymore. If he can pitch to a mid 4 ERA and log 180 innings it will be a bargain.
I’ve always like this guy. Gives you the same thing year in, year out.
Got hammered one year with the long ball. I bet he’s around another 6 or 7 years.
That’s the thing. You can call up low-ceiling pre-arb guys that can pitch to mid 4 ERAs and pay them less than a million. I don’t understand the thinking behind paying guys this much for mediocrity. Sure you may hit on a bounce-back guy, but at 10 mil a pop what are you really gaining?
Lynn’s FIP was 3.89 that’s not a garbage bin back of the rotation arm. He missed ST and got off to a poor start making that a little worse than it probably would’ve. And no In fact the rangers do not have a guy in their upper minors who can pitch to a mid 4 ERA over 180 innings. We saw plenty try last year.
See my comments above…..”decent” is a very kind description of his ability to function under pressure….he’s strictly a fastball pitcher and his velocity is not DeGrom or Thor for sure!
What’s the logic here?
How does he possibly get a better deal coming off 2018 as opposed to all those productive years in STL?
The QO to start with.
Right, this is just proof that the qualifying offer just crushes mid level players values. How he got 3 years even without a QO is hard to believe still.
The qualifying offer as others have mentioned plus you have to wonder what his asking price was? He was coming off of TJ surgery in 2016 and tho he had a very good 2017 he may have been asking for a longer term deal and more money than most wanted to give him.
Still, last year wasn’t as bad as most think. He had an awful March/.April and a poor July. He finished better than he started. For pitchers I always look for fewer hits/IP and more K/IP, velocity, HR allowed and BB/IP.
156IP-163 hits-161 Ks-14 hrs and 76 walks. And he had a career high velocity of 93.7. Except for the walks he came pretty close to be better than average across the board.
And I don’t think $10 mil is a hard contract to move if he’s league average. Besides, he might end up being their best pitcher next year.
Believe me….last year was as bad as most think….one pitch pitcher…fastball…fastball….fastball…and once the hitters adjust the second or third time through the lineup….he gets bombed!
Can not win the big or must game!
Bottom of the pile pitcher!
The QO and his work in NY was nothing short of impressive. He threw up a 5 to 1 K/BB ratio. Low 2 FIP. If you would’ve given this guy a full spring training I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t toss up an era in the mid-high 3’s and be a dependable #3 or 4 starter. Not terrible for 10 per. All he really needs is half a good season in Texas and he could be shipped out in July for a couple prospects. 2017 was the only year in Lynn’s career he’s posted a FIP above 4. Guy is typically a very solid pitcher.
Take the FIP and other stats and understand that they are designed as an excuse to hid mediocrity……he is anything but a dependable 3rd or 4th starter….can’t win the must game.
He is not a very solid pitcher and in fact pretty bottom of the pile!
Rangers are desperate for SP and needed to add a 3rd year to get him to sign?
This man is going to get TORCHED in Texas, rip his career
I can think of 30 million reasons why he isn’t concerned with that.
Have you been underneath a rock? You do know Texas is getting a new indoor ballpark in 2020, right?
Not everyone stays up-to-date on the recent taxpayer subsidized stadiums. If we have to pay for the stadiums, shouldn’t the owners have to share their profits? Oh wait, I forgot that is how it works under, wait, what system do we live under?
I believe the word for which you are searching is “cronyism”.
He is also a ground ball pitcher and those are the pitchers that have success at the Ballpark.
Your Texas outfielders will get sore necks watching his one pitch the low 90’s line straight fastball flying over the fence and into the gaps!
Hey got my 2nd one right!
My rangers are World Series bound now!
(Just kidding of course)
Typical Texas move, shopping for pitchers at the bottom of the pile.
Yes, because your blue jays sign all the Aces
You mean to tell me Jaime Garcia and Marco Estrada weren’t the big fish last winter??
BJ RYAN IS THE ANSWER.
think jd could have passed and took chance on two or three pitchers rule 5 imo who might have saved us 10 mill. if your not going to compete this year don’t blow the money for a sub par pitcher
Why hold on to the money? What’s $10 mil a year for a big market team like Texas? There’s something to be said about putting a half way decent team. I don’t see how this is going to hurt them down the road.
Why is Lynn subpar? 2017 was the only season the guy put up a FIP above 4. It was a rough season but after his early season slip ups he looked to be pretty much the same guy. 3.57 career Era /3.67 career FIP. 3.89 Fip Last year after a shaky start to the season. I think you could spend 10 mil a year worse than this.
Lynn was solid in St. Louis and an innings eater. He missed spring training as a late signee last year and it hurt him in April and May. I think this is a good signing for rangers. He will give up some homers, but hopefully for Texas they will be solo shots
I know they needed starters but three years 30 mil? But realistically who else would or could they honestly get?
New stadium in 2020 is going to make Texas better on pitching!
Just sold a piece of beachfront Kansas property to Ranger brass. Straight open season on fleecing that front office .
Lynn is a good ,tough pitcher
Does he box bare-knuckled or something?
NOT!
I guess it takes extra money to entice pitchers to play in that hitters park…..
Such a classic Ranger signing. Three things are certain: death, taxes, and mid-30s+ journeymen with 6 ERAs in the Rangers rotation.
That’s pretty funny considering lance lynn has posted an ERA in the 4’s once in his career. A lot of hate for this guy. Not sure why. You’ve got older arms with similar peripherals going for more than this.
I’m no Rangers apologist but come guys…he’s not great but can gobble up some innings and slide into 10-12 Ws this year.
What great P wants to go to Texas especially right now
His most memorable moment in the playoffs came after he fell on his ass, then proceeded to give up like six runs or something in relief of Sevy in that 16-1 loss to the Red Sox.
“You can have him” He had his moments with NYY though.
He shouldn’t have been brought in with loaded bases and nobody out anyways, he’s not a reliever.
Agree. Lynn wasn’t accustomed to going in with men on base…Not to mention 16-1 game was 2-1, when he entered. After Lynn walks in a run, a bases clearing double, then Boone decides to put Green what was now 7-1 and proceeds to burn him out. He was “reverse-managing”
Sadly, no one cares about Boone’s inexperience because they get fooled by the 100 wins
Oh trust me, the majority of Yankee fans are less than enamored with Boone’s performance. The guy is not a strategist at all. His decisions in the ALDS will go down as some of the dumbest I’ve witnessed in my life, and put him on par with Dave Roberts
Meh. I was fine with him. If Severino had performed, we’d be judging him very differently. I try to remember Boston was literally one of the best teams of ALL TIME in 2018, so every thing they did right made their opponents look that much worse.
Still haven’t got one right.
JD doesn’t do anything, he gets crushed.
JD does something, he gets crushed.
JD did everything he could do but Cruz didn’t catch the ball on the track. Come on!
The “ Brillance” Of Jon Daniels. What would that team look like had he not been set up before taking over. OMG sorry Ranger fans
When JD took over, Jon Hart had dismantled the entire minor league system, left him a team payroll of almost 175 million, and average age of 34. JD rebuilt the farm, sure he made some bad trades along the way like every GM in the business. He also made some fleecing moves on his own. He’s the one that made the trade to bring Andrus, Feliz, Harrison, and Saltalamachia in for Texeira.
This a move to protect the future, he knows this team isn’t winning, they need a veteran to come in and eat innings, like Minor, if both of these guy’s pitch like they did last year, Lynn like he was with the Yankees, they’ll eat innings and keep the young guy’s from being rushed.
Everything Killer said and he also weathered an owner that bankrupted the club. back to back WS is nothing to scoff at so yeah, the guy did build a team brilliantly and is now rebuilding the team. His big mistake was trying to hold on a season or two more than he should have but he saw what the Cubs and Stros were doing and knew the window would be shut so tried to get there one more time.
Yes! Thank God the Yankees weren’t dumb enough to do this
Love all the naive comments above about how Lynn is a 3 maybe 4 guy in the rotation.
Any Yankee fan who actually watched him pitch knows different and grew very tired of his low 90’s, line straight fastball….especially facing the lineup the second or third time through….even though he didn’t see many lineups 2 or even 3 times in any game this past season.
I need to learn how to pitch
Great fit!
A depressing pitcher for a depressing team.
Once that guy builds up a gaggle of Texas BBQ steakhouses in proximity to the ballpark, they’ll need the bullpen cart to get him from the dugout to the mound (he can barley walk the distance now).
– –
Has the – “they can flip at the trading deadline” – comment been written here yet? There’s at least one under every article of a signing this offseason…..sometimes even in the article.
lol
Lmaooooooo thank heavens it’s tx
Since last season, I thought he was going to be signed by the Rangers. Glad that Lynn is getting a three year deal. He was great in St Louis.
His ERA is going to get even higher in TEX
Makes me think how much Dallas Keuchel is asking for.
Damn, good contract if he was still the Cardinals workhorse. Guaranteed!!! C’mon Texas.
Maybe this is Texas’ version of the “Coors” tax? Their park is a brutal place for pitchers, How did Hamels fare after he left?
Why is 3/30 for Lynn considered ridiculous? I don’t get it. He made 12 million bucks last year and posted much better peripherals than the year before. I’ve posted his career numbers above and that’s pretty darn good for 10 per. It’s like we expect all these starters to sign for nothing on 1 year deals.
I don’t get it either. Lynn has proven over his career to be an effective and durable starting pitching option. Two or three years ago, teams would have jumped at the chance to sign a 31-year-old mid-rotation starter for three years and $30 million. It’s crazy how much expectations have changed in one offseason.
The cubs gave tyler chatwood 38MM over 3 years last year riding his hype train. Give me a guy who has posted the results over his career with the peripherals to match over that all day everyday. its essentially the same deal they gave minor. A guy who hadn’t started a game since 2014. I don’t see the complaints here.
Screw the haters. Lynn will do fine in Texas. Good deal.
I’m with you. Minor, Lynn and Smyly (if healthy) give the Rangers three legitimate mid-rotation starters to anchor the staff, and Volquez (if healthy) gives them another innings-eater behind that group to protect the pen from overuse.
Add one more veteran starter, and you can let Mendez and Jurado enter this season as the injury depth they’re best suited at this stage to be.
I dont remember him being a first overall pick? I thought he was a first round pick?
I’m Ron Burgundy?
Right you are….”Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 6th round of the 2005 MLB June Amateur Draft from Brownsburg HS (Brownsburg, IN) and the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round (39th) of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS).”
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lynnla01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-
Makes sense if we’re hoping he does well so we can flip him at the deadline.
Giving Lynn 30M over 3 years isn’t as bad as giving up a 30 homer power prospect for 3 months on Lynn.
“30 homer power prospect” had 19 walks, 106K at time.
Go home. You’re drunk.
If you’re bummed about losing Tyler Austin you can bring Chris Carter back. Won’t miss a beat.
I waited patiently for Austin to put it together but he never did. Great power but a 35% strike out rate made Stanton look like a patient hitter, Besides, they traded for another “power hitter with 30 hr power”. Who knows what either will do in 2019.
30 homer power prospect? LOL, no just no.
In 268 ABS or Roughly half a seasons work tyler Austin hit 17 hrs. He is absolutely a 30 Hr caliber hitter. He just doesn’t do anything else useful.
He’ll probably be a good innings eater…but it sure seems like an overpay to me. I’m sure the other FA pitchers are feeling good about their chances now.
As a Rangers fan, I like the signing a lot. And though I’ve been critical at times of JD, I think he’s done a fair job of (re)building the rotation this offseason.
After running out a bunch of veteran spares on one-year deals and middling prospects with back-end ceilings, I like the idea of collecting proven mid-rotation inning-eaters on reasonable multi-year deals (Minor and Lynn) and high-floor Tommy John bounce-backs (Volquez and Smyly) a lot better.
If the Rangers can add one more starter with a mid-rotation ceiling and fix the pen, they’ve got a lineup that can keep them in the wild card race for a while. And if/when they fall out, they’ll have some assets on reasonable deals to flip if they perform well.
Now, I’m not saying the Rangers were stupid for signing Lance Lynn, as they have a huge need for starting pitching, but I don’t think they needed to give him that much money.
not many pitchers go to the rangers unless they are over-payed.
It’s paid. Paid is making money. Payed is tarring the side of a boat.
trade asset in august!
Why get a bonus for getting traded to another west team ? Lol
Compromise over a NTC I would guess.
Lance Lynn in Texas? Well, that won’t end well.
Was beginning to wonder who they were holding out for, we finally got an ace for 2019, Rumors are they are holding out for the 2020 new stadium.
Would love to see Derek Holland come back to Texas.