The Chicago Cubs are becoming desperate.
This offseason provided Jed Hoyer with numerous opportunities, and he delivered… some of them.
The Chicago Cubs are becoming desperate.
This offseason provided Jed Hoyer with numerous opportunities, and he delivered… some of them.
The Kyle Tucker trade was massive—the type of gutsy swing that this front office far too often overlooks. Tucker may go next winter, but he significantly improves Chicago’s standing in a wide-open NL Central.
Beyond the Tucker deal, the Cubs have had a sluggish offseason. Roki Sasaki was on every dream board in the greater Chicago metro region for a year, but he never really considered the Cubs when it came time to put pen to paper. Chicago has two outstanding top-line starters in Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga, but depth is a significant worry, which Hoyer has doggedly disregarded until now, when the options are dwindling.
Yes, the Cubs require another reliable starter, but it matters which “dependable starter” Chicago seeks. Not every addition is an improvement. As for who the Cubs are now negotiating with? It falls under the heading of subtraction by addition, and it’s a classic Jed Hoyer gaffe that St. Louis Cardinals fans will enjoy.
Cubs in negotiations with ex-Cardinals ace Lance Lynn on one-year contract
Chicago has “entered negotiations” with veteran right-hander Lance Lynn on a one-year contract, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
While nothing is thought to be imminent, there is a lot of smoke, and Chicago’s need for rotation upgrades is well-documented. Except for Jed Hoyer’s apparent assumption that Lynn has a significant impact on the North Side, everything seems to fit together. If anything, Chicago’s inability to sign Lynn to a more flexible Minor League contract is surprising. His recent performance has not earned him a full-fledged MLB deal.
Lynn, 37, returned to the Cardinals last season after spending some of the best years of his career there more than a decade before. Lynn has been bouncing around the league a lot lately, and there’s a reason for that. He is simply not the borderline Cy Young candidate he once was. Instead, Lynn has regressed to a borderline MLB talent.
Last season, he made 23 starts for the Cardinals, recording a 3.84 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 117.1 innings. Those are respectable figures, but Lynn is nearing the end of a remarkable career. The plateau is sloped. It is that simple. His stats have been in free slide since his 2021 peak with the Chicago White Sox.
Lynn can still manage a starter’s workload, but it is debatable if he can do so successfully. Last season, his velocity dropped to a career low, and his numbers were all concerning. He doesn’t miss bats or keep baseballs in the infield. His anticipated ERA (xERA) was 4.94, indicating that he was fortunate to finish the season with such mediocre stats. St. Louis’ defense and good, old-fashioned variance saved Lynn from full dishonor.
The Cubs understand the hazards of investing on past-prime veterans. Hector Neris struggled in the bullpen last season. Lynn now threatens to offer a similar experience as a starter. When Cardinals supporters celebrate the prospect of seeing Lynn many times during a season, it’s a sign. Hoyer should probably end the call.
