Michael Lance Lynn (born May 12, 1987) is an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
for the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB). He previously played for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
,
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
,
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, and
Texas Rangers.
Playing
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for the
Ole Miss Rebels
The Ole Miss Rebels are the 18 men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that are funded by and represent the University of Mississippi, located in Oxford. The first was the football team, which began play in 1893.
Originally known as th ...
, Lynn set the school's single-season (146) and career (332) pitching
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
records. The Cardinals selected him in the first round of the
2008 MLB Draft
The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008.
First round selections
;Key
Supplemental first rou ...
from the
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi (byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment.
...
. In 2009, he was named the Cardinals organizational Pitcher of the Year after playing in three levels and totaling a 2.85
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
and 124 strikeouts in
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
. He made his MLB debut on June 2, 2011, was a member of the Cardinals'
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
championship team that year, and a
National League All-Star in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
.
On May 27, 2014, Lynn pitched his first MLB career
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
and
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
. He earned his 500th MLB career strikeout three weeks later, and 50th career win April 15, 2015. Through 2015, he was the Cardinals'
all-time franchise leader in career
strikeouts per 9 innings pitched
In baseball statistics, strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9, SO/9, or SO/9IP) is the mean of strikeouts (or Ks) by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by multiplying the number of strikeouts by nine, and dividing by the numb ...
, with 8.7. After undergoing
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
, Lynn missed the entire 2016 season.
Early life and amateur career
Lynn was born on May 12, 1987, in
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
,
to Mike and Jenny Lynn. He was part of the
Brownsburg, Indiana
Brownsburg is a town in Hendricks County, Indiana, United States. The population was recorded to be 21,285 residents at the 2010 Census, an increase from the 14,520 residents in 2000. the estimated population was recorded to be 27,001 residents. ...
, Little League that appeared in the
1999 Little League World Series
The 1999 Little League World Series (LLWS) took place between August 22 and August 28 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Hirakata Little League of Hirakata, Osaka, Japan, defeated Phenix City National Little League of Phenix City, Alabama, in the ...
. Brownsburg won the Central Regional Championship in
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in, and the county seat of, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It recorded a population of 27,754 at the 2020 Census. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a popula ...
. He attended
Brownsburg High School
Brownsburg High School is a public high school located in Brownsburg, Indiana. The school is located within the Brownsburg Community School Corporation, which is in Hendricks County.
History
Brownsburg graduated its first class in spring 1897.
A ...
, where he played on the baseball team, with teammate
Drew Storen
Drew may refer to:
__NOTOC__ Places
;In the United States
* Drew, Georgia, an unincorporated community
* Drew, Mississippi, a city
* Drew, Missouri, an unincorporated community
* Drew, Oregon, an unincorporated community
* Drew County, Arkansas
...
, a fellow future major league pitcher. Lynn earned All-State honors in his sophomore and junior season.
As a junior, Lynn
hit
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
.509 with 14
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s and 46
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBIs). As a
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
, he posted a 1.26
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) and 160
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s (SO) in 100
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
(IP), a 10–3
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
, and three
saves. His team went 36–0 his senior year as they won the 4A state championship. That year, he hit .400 with 14 home runs; his ERA was 0.71 and record was 16–0.
[
At Brownsburg, Lynn's cumulative batting totals included a .473 average and 92 RBIs. His career pitching totals were a 39–4 record, 1.10 ERA, seven saves, and 455 strikeouts in 288 IP. For the state of Indiana, Lynn was the ]Gatorade Player of the Year
The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine playe ...
in 2005. He was also a Louisville Slugger
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border.
...
and Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the d ...
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
selection. When Lynn played at the Area Code Games, Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine given ...
named him an All-Star, and he was teammates with fellow future Ole Miss Rebels baseball
The Ole Miss Rebels baseball team represents the University of Mississippi in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They are currently coached by Mike Bianco and play at ...
signees Evan Button and Scott Van Slyke
Scott Tyler Van Slyke (born July 24, 1986) is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman who is a free agent. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers and for the Doosan Bears of the KBO Leagu ...
.[
The ]Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
selected Lynn in the sixth round of the June 2005 MLB draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams. It is widely considered to be one of the best ...
, but he did not sign. He instead chose to attend the University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi (byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment.
...
to play college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for the Ole Miss Rebels
The Ole Miss Rebels are the 18 men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that are funded by and represent the University of Mississippi, located in Oxford. The first was the football team, which began play in 1893.
Originally known as th ...
. In 2007, he set the Ole Miss single season (146) and career (332) strikeout records. He was named an All-Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...
second-team pitcher in 2007 and 2008. His overall college record was 22–12 with a 3.95 ERA.
Professional career
Draft and minor leagues
The St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
selected Lynn in the first round, with the 39th overall pick of the 2008 MLB draft
The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008.
First round selections
;Key
Supplemental first rou ...
.
In 2009, Lynn was named the Cardinals' organizational Pitcher of the Year after jumping three levels in his first full professional season. His final start for the year was for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They are located in Memphis, Tennessee, and are named for their Major League Baseball affiliate. The Redbir ...
of the Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
(PCL). His season totals included a 2.85 ERA and 124 strikeouts in innings. He led all Cardinals minor league pitchers in strikeouts from 2009–10 (141 in 2010).[
Spending the entire 2010 season with Memphis, Lynn also led all Cardinals minor league pitchers in games started (29), was second with 164 innings pitched and 13 wins, and ninth with 7.74 ]strikeouts per 9 innings pitched
In baseball statistics, strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9, SO/9, or SO/9IP) is the mean of strikeouts (or Ks) by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by multiplying the number of strikeouts by nine, and dividing by the numb ...
(K/9). In addition, he led the PCL in strikeouts and games started and was second in wins in 2010.[ On September 10, 2010, Lynn broke the Redbirds' single-game franchise strikeout record, with 16 against the ]Oklahoma City RedHawks
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
in a playoff game. It was also the highest strikeout performance that year in all the minor leagues.
St. Louis Cardinals
2011–2013
The club added Lynn to the 40 man roster
A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...
and activated him on June 2, 2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
. He made his MLB debut that night at Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) f ...
against the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. In innings in the regular season with the Cardinals, Lynn notched 40 strikeouts while allowing 25 hits and 11 walks. A pulled flank muscle in August prevented him from appearing in a game until a surprise appearance in the postseason.[ On October 10, Lynn was awarded the win after throwing exactly one pitch in Game 2 of the ]National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National ...
(NLCS) against the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
. In the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
, Lynn gave up back-to-back home runs in the top of the seventh to Adrián Beltré
Adrián Beltré Pérez (born April 7, 1979) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman. During his career, Beltré played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers ...
and Nelson Cruz
Nelson Ramón Cruz MartÃnez Jr. (born July 1, 1980) is a Dominican-American professional baseball designated hitter and right fielder who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas ...
. However, he won the World Series with the Cardinals, making a total of 10 appearances during the postseason after appearing in just 18 games during the 2011 regular season.
After arriving at Cardinals spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in February 2012, Lynn announced he would begin wearing the number 31. When Chris Carpenter
Christopher John Carpenter (born April 27, 1975) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals from 1997 to 2012. A Cy Young Award win ...
went on the disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
(DL) early in the season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
, Lynn replaced him in the rotation. He started strong, winning his first six games with an ERA of 1.40. One of his best games came on June 13 against the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
. He completed innings, struck out a career-high 12 batters, and gave up only three hits. That performance lowered his ERA to 2.42. He also became the second player that season to win 10 games behind R. A. Dickey
Robert Allen Dickey (born October 29, 1974) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Bra ...
.
Lynn finished his first half with a 3.41 ERA and 11–4 record in 17 starts. Subsequently, he was named to his first All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
. However, he scuffled with a 5.23 ERA in his next eight starts, and was removed from the rotation. Joe Kelly replaced him in the rotation. Through his first 25 starts, he was 13–5 with a 3.93 ERA. His August ERA ballooned to 6.66 and his second-half ERA overall was 4.32. Lynn attributed his inconsistency to weight gain and poor conditioning. He finished the regular season with an 18–7 record and 180 strikeouts, 3.78 ERA in 35 games, 29 starts and 176 innings. His 9.2 K/9 rate placed fourth in franchise history. He placed second in the NL in wins, seventh in winning percentage, and fourth in K/9. Lynn was added back to the rotation in the NLDS
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
after the team shifted Jaime GarcÃa to the DL due to a rotator cuff
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the human shoulder and allow for its extensive range of motion. Of the seven scapulohumeral muscles, four make up the rotator cuff. The four muscles are the supraspi ...
injury. He was the Game 5 starter in the NLCS against the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
, in which the Cardinals held a 3–1 series lead. However, he gave up four runs in innings as the Cardinals eventually lost the series.[
The right-hander made a conscious effort to change his eating and conditioning habits to reach 200 innings in ]2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
. He showed up to ST weighing 239 pounds, about 41 pounds lighter than his last start in the 2012 NLCS.[ As a result, his teammates needled him with jokes, such as "Where's your other half?" from ]Adam Wainwright
Adam Parrish Wainwright (born August 30, 1981), nicknamed "Waino" and "Uncle Charlie", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
The Atlanta Braves selected him 29th overall in the ...
and "Who's the new guy?" from two others. He reached his season goal of 200 innings pitched, with , and was 15–10 with 198 strikeouts and 3.97 ERA. His ERA remained steady: 4.00 in the first half, 3.93 in the second of the season. He improved his ERA in September to 2.12.[ His win total was sixth in the NL, strikeouts ninth, and 33 starts placed second.
]
2014–2017
On the recommendation of the team chef
A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a kitche ...
Simon Lusky, Lynn decreased the amount of refined carbohydrates
In organic chemistry, a carbohydrate () is a biomolecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, usually with a hydrogen–oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 (as in water) and thus with the empirical formula (where ''m'' may or may ...
and fats in his diet. He showed up to 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
ST with an even slimmer look. In a ST game on March 14, Lynn struck out 10 Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
in four innings, including the final eight hitters he faced. On April 14, the Cardinals stopped the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
' nine-game winning streak behind Lynn's seven scoreless innings. Lynn, who had entered the game with a 6.55 ERA for the season, won his third decision behind 11 strikeouts and just three hits allowed as St. Louis prevailed 4–0. Against the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
on April 19, he stroked his first career extra base hit
In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire anot ...
– an RBI double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* Th ...
– while picking up the decision for the win in a 4–3 victory.
On May 27, Lynn pitched his first career complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
against the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, a shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
. Making his 100th career MLB appearance and another start against the Nationals on Friday, June 13, Lynn pitched five perfect innings on his way to two hits through eight innings in a 1–0 victory over Jordan Zimmermann
Jordan M. Zimmermann (born May 23, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers, and Milwaukee Brewers. Zimmermann was a two-time MLB All-Star, an ...
. In a 3–2 loss to the New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
five days later, he notched his 500th career strikeout, through 503 career innings. Baffling the Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
on the corners of the strike zone on June 23, Lynn pitched another eight shutout innings in an 8–0 victory at Coors Field
Coors Field is a baseball stadium in downtown Denver, Colorado. It is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. Opened in 1995, the park is located in Denver's Lower Downtown neighborhood, two blocks from Union Station. The sta ...
while allowing just three hits. The Cardinals made the playoffs again in 2014, and Lynn started one game each in the NLDS
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against the Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
and in the NLCS against the Giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
*Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'gi ...
. He finished with a 3.08 combined ERA and 11 strikeouts in innings.
Arbitration
Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ' ...
-eligible for the first time in his career, Lynn and the Cardinals agreed to a three-year, $22 million contract on January 15, 2015. It bought out his three remaining years before free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
and included up to an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses. Only Wainwright (53) and Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) . He has played for the Dodgers for the entirety of his MLB career. A left-handed starting p ...
(51) surpassed his win total (48) in the National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
over the previous three seasons. In that time, Lynn allowed a 3.48 ERA and 1.300 WHIP over 95 starts.
Making his 99th career start on April 15, 2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, Lynn earned his 50th career win in a 4–2 victory over Milwaukee
Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee is ...
. It was his 13th win in the month of April since 2012, the highest total in MLB. Through his first 12 starts of the season, he was 4–4 with a 3.07 ERA. However, after his June 7 start against the Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
, he suffered a right forearm strain. The Cardinals placed him on the DL on June 12. Lynn returned from the DL on June 24. He returned to action the next day against the Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
, pitching six scoreless innings in a 5–1 victory.
In a 10–5 loss to the Pirates on August 13, 2015, Lynn recorded just two outs while allowing seven runs total, three earned, a home run and six hits while throwing 41 pitches. It was the shortest outing of his career as a starter, and the quickest exit for a Cardinals starter since Anthony Reyes
Anthony Loza Reyes (born October 16, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He pitched primarily as a starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians. ...
on October 1, 2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, by reason other than injury. After returning from the DL in June, Lynn started 19 games with an 8–7 record, 3.00 ERA and completed 102 innings, but made it through seven innings just once in his last six starts of the season.
He finished the 2015 season with a 12–11 record and 3.03 ERA in innings. He led all major league pitchers in fastball percentage (85.4%). Through that point in his major league career, he allowed a .248 batting average against
In baseball statistics, batting average against (denoted by BAA or AVG), also known as opponents' batting average (denoted by OBA), is a statistic that measures a pitcher's ability to prevent hits during official at bats. It can alternatively b ...
, and was the Cardinals all-time franchise leader with 8.7 K/9 among all players with at least 500 innings pitched for the club.[
On November 10, 2015, the Cardinals announced that Lynn would miss the 2016 season after undergoing ]Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
(TJS). He began a rehab stint with the Palm Beach Cardinals on August 15, 2016, pitching scoreless innings.
Lynn rejoined the Cardinals' starting rotation in 2017, and finished the year making 33 starts with an 11–8 record and a 3.43 ERA. He led the major leagues in holding opposing batters to the lowest batting average on balls in play
In baseball statistics, batting average on balls in play (abbreviated BABIP) is a measurement of how often batted balls result in hits, excluding home runs. It can be expressed as, "when you hit the ball and it’s not a home run, what’s your b ...
(.244). He also led all major league pitchers in fastball percentage (81.1%). After the season, Lynn became a free agent for the first time of his career.
Minnesota Twins
On March 12, 2018, Lynn signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
. He struggled in his Minnesota debut, giving up five earned runs, all in the first inning, and walking six in four innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
, taking the loss as Pittsburgh defeated Minnesota 5–4. During the first two months of the season, he compiled an ERA of 5.94.
New York Yankees
On July 30, 2018, the Twins traded Lynn and cash considerations to the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
in exchange for Tyler Austin
Christopher Tyler Austin (born September 6, 1991) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, ...
and Luis Rijo. He was inserted into their bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
as a long reliever
A long reliever or long-relief pitcher is a relief pitcher in baseball who enters the game if the starting pitcher leaves the game early.
Long relievers often enter in the first three innings of a game when the starting pitcher cannot continue, w ...
, but was then moved to their starting rotation
R
rabbit ears
:Indicates a participant in the game who hears things perhaps too well for their own good. A player who becomes nervous or chokes when opposing players or fans yell at or razz them is said to have rabbit ears. Also, an umpire ...
to replace the struggling Sonny Gray
Sonny Douglas Gray (born November 7, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and Cincinnati Reds.
Gray attended ...
.
Texas Rangers
On December 18, 2018, Lynn signed a three-year contract with the Texas Rangers for $30 million.
In 2019, Lynn posted a 16–11 record with a 3.67 ERA and 246 strikeouts over innings. He led MLB in wild pitches, with 18. Lynn finished 5th in the 2019 AL Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
voting.
On August 9, 2020, Lynn earned his 100th MLB career win against the Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
. Lynn finished the year with a 6-3 record and a 3.32 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 84.0 innings of work.
Chicago White Sox
On December 7, 2020, Lynn was traded to the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
in exchange for pitcher Dane Dunning
Dane Anthony Dunning (born December 20, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2020.
Career
Amateur career
After graduating fr ...
and prospect Avery Weems. Lynn recorded a 9-3 record and 1.99 ERA through 16 starts to begin the 2021 season and was named an All-Star. On July 17, 2021, Lynn agreed to a two-year, $38 million contract extension with Chicago that includes a club option. On August 12, Lynn was the starting pitcher for the first Field of Dreams game
MLB at Field of Dreams is a recurring Major League Baseball (MLB) regular-season game played in a ballpark adjacent to Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, a site popularized by the 1989 baseball film ''Field of Dreams''. The first edition of the ...
in Dyersville, Iowa
Dyersville is a city in eastern Delaware County and western Dubuque County in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,477 at the time of the 2020 census, up from 4,035 in 200 ...
. Lynn went 5 innings, giving up 4 hits, 4 runs, and 2 walks while striking out 7 batters as the White Sox beat the Yankees 9-8. Overall in 2021, Lynn had 28 starts with an ERA of 2.69 and an 11-6 record. He pitched in 157 innings and struck out 176 batters. In the ALDS against the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
, Lynn started Game 1 but struggled. After a 1-2-3 first inning with 1 strike out, Lynn went 2.2 more innings giving up 5 runs while striking out only 3 more batters. Lynn finished 3rd in Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
voting behind Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Alan Cole (born September 8, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Cole played for the baseball team ...
and Robbie Ray
Robert Glenn Ray (born October 1, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Toronto Blue Jays. Ray was an ML ...
.
Lynn started out the 2022 season on the Injured List after suffering a meniscus tear
A tear of a meniscus is a rupturing of one or more of the fibrocartilage strips in the knee called menisci. When doctors and patients refer to "torn cartilage" in the knee, they actually may be referring to an injury to a meniscus at the top of ...
during spring training. Lynn was activated off the IL on June 13. Lynn made his first start on that same day against the Detroit Tigers. In that game after the 2nd inning, Lynn got into an argument in the dugout with White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing
Joseph Earl McEwing (born October 19, 1972) is an American former professional baseball player who spent most of his career with the New York Mets, where he played from through . Nicknamed "Super Joe", he was the prototypical utility player who ...
. The argument was after Lynn gave up his third earned run of the game. After his argument with McEwing, Lynn went the next 2.1 innings without giving up a run. In the game, Lynn went 4.1 innings giving up 10 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 4 batters as the White Sox won 9–5. Overall in 2022, Lynn went 8–7 in 21 starts with an ERA of 3.99 in 121.2 innings while striking out 124 batters.
Awards
* ''Reference for this list''[
;Major leagues
* All-Star (]2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
,2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
)
* World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
champion
A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, an ...
(2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
)
;Minor leagues
* Minor League Baseball (MiLB) Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
Pitcher of the Postseason: 2010
* Cardinals organization Pitcher of the Month: May 2010
* 2x The Cardinal Nation
Cardinal Nation, or Redbird Nation, is a term commonly used to describe, in aggregate, the fans of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball franchise. Cardinal Nation encompasses not just the area around St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis, but also a large p ...
(TCN)/Scout.com
Scout Media is an integrated sports publishing company that produces Internet content covering hundreds of professional and college teams across America. The company was founded in 2001 and was acquired by Fox Sports in 2005. In 2013, Fox Sports ...
Cardinals Top Prospect (2010, #3; 2009 #18)
* Cardinals organization Pitcher of the Year: 2009
* TCN/Scout.com Springfield Starting Pitcher of the Year: 2009
* TCN/Scout.com System Starting Pitcher of the Year: 2009
* 2x Texas League All-Star (2009 mid-season and post-season)
* Scout.com Cards MiLB Player of the Month: May 2009
* Cardinals MiLB Player of the Month: May 2009
;College
* Brooks Wallace Award Watch List by the Collegiate Baseball Foundation, 2008
* All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association, 2008
* NCAA Oxford Regional All-Tournament Team, 2007
* NCAA Oxford Regional Most Valuable Player, 2007
;High school
* Gatorade Player of the Year for Indiana, 2005
* Louisville Slugger and EA All-America selection, 2005
Pitching profile
Lynn has four pitches in his arsenal: a four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is ca ...
that typically travels between (miles per hour
Miles per hour (mph, m.p.h., MPH, or mi/h) is a British imperial and United States customary unit of speed expressing the number of miles travelled in one hour. It is used in the United Kingdom, the United States, and a number of smaller countrie ...
) and , and tops out at ; a two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and softball. It is a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball and can also include late-breaking action caused by varying the pressure of the index and middle fingers on t ...
€“93 a cut fastball
In baseball, a cut fastball or cutter is a type of fastball that breaks toward the pitcher's glove-hand side, as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a four-seam fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider ...
€“ and a curveball
In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
€“ He uses his cutter mostly against right-handed hitters. Besides his four-seam fastball, his curve is his most commonly thrown pitch with two strikes. His four-seamer had one of the highest K/9 among fastballs thrown by relief pitchers in 2012. In 2012, Lynn finished third in the National League in 2012 in K/9, at 9.205. He finished ninth in 2013 with an 8.836 rate.[ His 33 wins between 2012–13 led all NL starting pitchers over that span.
]
Personal life
Lynn stands tall and weighs . In November 2010, he married Lauren (Grill) Lynn, who was a softball player at the University of Mississippi, but they have since divorced. They have one daughter together. In January 2020, Lynn married Dymin Hayes and they have two daughters together. They reside in Marion, Illinois
Marion is a city in Williamson and Johnson Counties, Illinois, United States, and is the county seat of Williamson County. The population was 16,855 at the 2020 census. It is part of a dispersed urban area that developed out of the early 20th ...
.
Throughout his career, Lynn has battled weight problems which have affected his conditioning. The better shape he has been in, the longer he can go in workouts, and thus, the longer he can effectively pitch in single games and throughout the entire season. To improve his weight and conditioning, he conferred with fellow Cardinals starters Chris Carpenter
Christopher John Carpenter (born April 27, 1975) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals from 1997 to 2012. A Cy Young Award win ...
, Wainwright and Jake Westbrook
Jacob Cauthen Westbrook (born September 29, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was known as a sinker ball pitcher and hit a grand slam as a batter.Harris, J. GeralJake Westbrook: sinkerball pitc ...
about their in-season and off-season preparations methods in the 2012–13 off-season. He obtained team strength and conditioning coach Pete Prinzi's help in formulating an offseason training regimen to address his lapses and stimulate weight loss. The Cardinals also sent team chef Lusky to spend a week with Lynn and his wife Lauren in their home, where he showed them better methods to select and prepare healthy food.[ Lynn also replaced favorites pizza and beer with more water and vodka.][
In 2014, Lynn acknowledged how not handling his emotions during difficult innings affected his ability to limit damage from the opposition and finish off hitters with runners on base. He also has chafed at defensive gaffes and positional shifts with which he did not agree. He had trouble trusting his catchers to call pitches, especially ]Yadier Molina
Yadier BenjamÃn Molina (; born July 13, 1982), nicknamed "Yadi", is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played his entire career with the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Widely considered one of the great ...
, who is highly regarded in his game-calling skills. However, teammates and Cardinals officials noticed that he became more receptive to changing his strategy, and therefore, outcomes.
Lynn grew up a New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
fan.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lynn, Lance
1987 births
Living people
Baseball players at the 2007 Pan American Games
Baseball players from Indianapolis
Batavia Muckdogs players
Chicago White Sox players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games
Memphis Redbirds players
Minnesota Twins players
National League All-Stars
New York Yankees players
Ole Miss Rebels baseball players
Palm Beach Cardinals players
Pan American Games medalists in baseball
Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States
Quad Cities River Bandits players
Springfield Cardinals players
St. Louis Cardinals players
Texas Rangers players
United States national baseball team players