Even with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training this week, there are still a handful of free agents out there. Given the slow market for these arms, one veteran purportedly may have to consider switching from a starting pitcher to a relief role in order to land a contract for 2025.
That veteran is Lance Lynn, who performed well against the Pirates in 2024 for their rival in St. Louis. According to Ken Rosenthal, some teams are even interested in him as a closer, noting that Lynn is "intrigued" by the idea.
Rosenthal brought up a handful of teams that still need bullpen help, and while his list did not include the Pirates, Chad Jennings, a colleague of his at The Athletic,labeled Lynn as a perfect fit for Pittsburgh in the bullpen. He noted that Lynn would pair nicely with David Bednar, and would be a perfect fallback option for the rotation if Johan Oviedo's return does not go as planned.
No rumors have been made public between the two sides, but the Pirates still need to add payroll to back up Ben Cherington's statements about the total increasing in 2025. This also would eliminate any speculation of converting Caleb Ferguson to a starter, so maybe this is a fit makes a some sense. Lynn's numbers certainly weren't terrible at 37 years old.
Could a Lance Lynn position change land him with the Pirates? Chad Jennings of The Athletic thinks so.
Last season with the Cardinals, Lynn tossed 117.1 innings across 23 starts, posting an earned run average of 3.84 with a FIP of 4.31. Opponents batted .244 against him, along with a walk rate of 8.6%, to generate a WHIP of 1.34. Those numbers will definitely play, and would help upgrade the Pirates team in 2025.
Another boost to the team that he would bring would be his veteran voice. Lynn's service time is greater than anyone on the Pirates pitching staff, so he would help out the young guys greatly.
Lynn appears to be a great fit for the Pirates. We are running out of time before spring training, but most Pirates fans might be happy to bring in another guy before it's too late. Hopefully, Jennings' prediction comes true soon.