Royals Rumors: Trading for Lance Lynn smart move for Royals
It hasn’t happened yet, but the recent batch of Royals rumors that had the team looking into trading for Lance Lynn of the Cardinals would be a really smart move for the organization.
When it comes to the Kansas City Royals and the trade deadline, nothing is set in stone yet. We’ve heard that the boys in blue are going to be buyers at the deadline, but they haven’t looked too hot coming out of the All-Star break.
With several key impending free agents come the offseason, the Royals have to make the right decision at the deadline. If they do decide to buy, I really like the idea of Lance Lynn in Kansas City for the rest of the 2017 season.
Lynn, a current starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, is posting an 8-6 record, 3.40 ERA, and 1.141 WHIP in 19 starts this season. He’s been a solid rotation piece for the Red Birds and is in the final year of his contract on the other side of the state.
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With Lynn about to hit free agency, I don’t see him being as expensive as some of the other starting pitchers linked to Royals rumors. Sonny Gray isn’t a free agent until 2020, so I highly doubt that the team can land him, considering they have little to no decent prospects.
With a guy like Lynn, the Cardinals know he’ll be a goner at the end of the season anyway. They’ll want something out of him, even if it’s a lower prospect or two from the Royals farm system.
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Lynn would offer a legitimate option in the rotation to go alongside Danny Duffy, Jason Vargas, Ian Kennedy, and Jason Hammel, and would be the third starter in that group should the Royals make the postseason. He can bring a lot to the table for Kansas City in 2017 and perhaps they’d even have a shot at retaining him past this season (though I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one).
While I think Lance Lynn would be a perfect fit in Kansas City down the stretch this season, this all hinges on if either of these teams sees themselves as a serious contender. Both are hanging right around .500, third in their respective divisions, and are looking to get hot in order to make a big run.
The problem with St. Louis’ postseason chances are that they really only have a shot at making it by winning their division. The two Wild Card spots, pending some type of gigantic collapse, are likely going to go to Arizona and Colorado.
Having to fight off a surprising Milwaukee squad and a surging Cubs unit could be what ultimately pushes the Cardinals into selling. If they do opt to put Lance Lynn on the trading block, I’d love to see him and his 3.40 ERA in a Royals uniform to help this team make one final push with their core group of players.
What do you think of this rumor, Royals nation? Do you think Lance Lynn fits in well for the Royals?