Texas Rangers: Lance Lynn was signed to be traded
By Reid Hanson
Lance Lynn will serve a valuable role for the Texas Rangers both in the short term as well as the long term, but ultimately, he was signed to be traded.
A sizable segment of Texas Rangers fans turned up their noses at the signing of Lance Lynn. Lynn, 32, was neither an ace or a young building block. He looked more like a stop-gap similar to the group Jon Daniels has been running out of town as of late.
Without any realistic shot at the postseason this year, the Texas Rangers are devoted to the future. Likely three or more years away from contention means intermediate players like Lance Lynn offer very little to an uninspired fan base.
After all, signing someone like Dallas Keuchel may not help much in the long-term, but he sure would add excitement for the here-and-now. Conversely, adding a young pitching prospect may not help the team right now, but it sure makes sense for the long-term health of the roster.
Someone like Lance Lynn offers neither of those things. He’s just a bridge and bridges are often a waste of experience if a team is honestly trying to develop young talent.
While all of this is true, it’s really missing the point concerning why Lynn was brought to Texas in the first place. And that’s to be traded.
The Next Mike Minor
Consider him “Mike Minor 2.0”. While Mike Minor has yet to be traded, it’s clear the intention to trade him is still there. It’s also clear a market exists, but since the Rangers are in no hurry to sell, they’re likely holding out for top dollar in return.
Mike Minor joined the Texas Rangers under similar circumstances. Signed last offseason to a three-year $28 million deal (according to Spotrac), Minor didn’t exactly ignite the passion in this fanbase. But he built value.
Minor proved to be a darn good middle-to-late rotational starting pitcher with proven bullpen capabilities. And playing under a manageable number for two more seasons, he could be a valuable piece when the deadline rolls around and teams are looking for depth and flexibility to aid a postseason run.
That’s probably when Mike Minor pays off and that’s the same plan the Texas Rangers are likely taking with Lynn. If they can get good innings out of Lynn this season and he better resembles they guy who finished the ’18 season in New York rather than the guy who started ’18 in Minnesota, the Rangers will have a valuable commodity on their hands.
The Texas Rangers are getting two important things from players like Mike Minor and Lance Lynn: 1) they are getting innings from players who hopefully will not embarrass the ball club. And 2) they are building trade capital that can be flipped for the aforementioned young prospects.
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It would be shocking if Lance Lynn stays in Texas for the entirety of his three-year contract. He was signed to be traded and in the meantime, he eats innings. It’s not flashy but it’s the best way to rebuild a franchise that’s low on prospects and available cash.
- Published on 01/31/2019 at 13:01 PM
- Last updated at 01/31/2019 at 08:20 AM