Former Chicago White Sox pitcher Lance Lynn might be returning to Chicago, but it’s not with the Good Guys.
Per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Cubs are looking to sign Lynn to a one-year contract to add depth to their already deep rotation.
The Chicago Cubs, looking for starting rotation depth, have now entered negotiations with veteran Lance Lynn on a one-year, MLB contract.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 13, 2025
Coming off a year with the Cardinals, Lynn is entering his 14th year in somewhat steady shape.
He started 23 games for St. Louis while holding a 3.84 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 117.1 frames. Although he dealt with right knee inflammation for a bit last year, Lynn seemed to return to his old self when he first played for the Cardinals at the beginning of his career.
Given his veteran status and the Cubs’ need to make a playoff run in the always unpredictable NL Central, Lynn should make between $5-10 million.
Known for his reliance on the four-seamer and his cocky swagger, Lynn was a treat to watch when he played for the Sox in the only year they stood a chance at winning the World Series since the late 2000s.
Like the Sox’s 2021 year, Lynn was stellar during the regular season. He had a career-best 2.69 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, placing third in the Cy Young Award nominations. Lynn was an All-Star and a threat to every batter who stepped in the box.
But just like the Sox’s 2021 postseason, Lynn fell terribly short. He gave up five earned runs off of six earned runs in 3.2 innings against the Astros in Game 1 of the ADS, which proved too difficult for Chicago to rally against.
Although Lynn’s pitching slowly eroded with each additional year he spent on the Sox, fans will never forget what Lynn brought to Chicago: hope.
The Sox traded Dane Dunning for Lynn during the 2020 winter meetings to bolster their starting rotation.
Although they lost 2-1 to the Athletics in the AL Wild Card, momentum was at its peak after the Sox made the postseason for the first time since 2008. Between Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, Dallas Keuchel, and now Lynn, the Sox looked like the favorites to win the AL Central, which they did in 2021.
Seeing Lynn in Cubs pinstripes will quite the change. His scruffy beard and trash talk don’t seem to fit in with the posh ivy in Wrigley Field, but perhaps Sox fans will enjoy the Crosstown series this year a little more with the possibility of seeing an old friend on the mound.