The 2022 season was hard for a lot of Chicago White Sox players. It was more difficult for some than others but certainly, nothing was easy for Lance Lynn. He injured himself during spring training which certainly set him off on the wrong foot.
When he returned, things were not pretty. It took him a few starts to really get back on track as it was like a delayed spring training for him. By the time we got into the late stages of summer though, he started to pitch much better than he had up to that point.
He would tell you that the 2022 season was unacceptable. He was one of the best and most consistent pitchers on the team in 2021 which earned him a third-place finish for the American League Cy Young Award. He knows that he can pitch like that again.
He has to stay healthy. Lance Lynn can be one of the players that make or break the entire season for the White Sox. If he is as good as we know he can be, this rotation has a chance to be amazing.
Lance Lynn needs to be amazing for the Chicago White Sox this year.
Obviously, it would help if Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech can pitch well. It would also take some pressure off of Dylan Cease who just came in second for the American League Cy Young Award. Everyone could build off each other and turn this into an incredible staff.
Lance Lynn just also has that attitude that this team needs to rally around. He was the best quote on the team in 2021 and they need more of that in 2022. When he strikes people out after daring them to hit his fastball, it is one of the coolest things you can see in all of sports.
Lynn is going to have mixed expectations coming into this year but make no mistake about it, however he performs will impact the Chicago White Sox as much as any player that is on this team right now. We can only hope that he is as good as they need him to be to make it to the playoffs.