The St. Louis Cardinals won't be adding starting pitcher Lance Lynn at the trade deadline, and he made sure of that.
The Cardinals are targeting young, controllable starting pitchers at the trade deadline. Lance Lynn doesn't necessarily fit the former half of that statement, but he is under contract beyond this season.
Lynn has been connected to the Tampa Bay Rays as recently as Wednesday morning, and could very well be traded before the weekend. While the Rays were on Lynn's no-trade list, he has agreed to remove them, per reports. The Cards are also on that list, which is odd considering Lynn had some of the best seasons of his career in St. Louis.
"As for Lynn's no-trade list, like any no-trade list, it is not absolute," Ken Rosenthal wrote Tuesday. "According to sources briefed on the pitcher's thinking, he would waive his protection for certain contenders. The teams he can block are the Mariners, Padres and Giants; Dodgers, Angels and Cardinals; Blue Jays, Mets, Yankees and Rays."
MLB Rumors: Lance Lynn doesn't want trade to Cardinals
A trade for Lance Lynn was always more likely from a contender, rather than a team like St. Louis which is floundering in the NL Central and preparing for next season. The Cards should target MLB-ready pitching prospects, or young controllable assets already in the majors. Logan Gilbert of the Seattle Mariners, for example, is a player St. Louis covets and would be willing to pay top dollar for on the trade market.
Lynn is 36 years old and wants another chance to pitch in the postseason. In some cases, he's being scouted as a relief pitcher rather than his current role in Chicago.
St. Louis doesn't need Lynn. Best to let another team try to revive his talent, and plan for next season.
