The Los Angeles Dodgers addressed their starting rotation by acquiring Lance Lynn at the trade deadline amid a confidence they would be able to help the veteran correct some of the issues that had plagued him with the Chicago White Sox.
Lynn also offered the Dodgers the potential of being more than a rental for the rest of the 2023 season as he was under team control for next season by way of an $18 million team option. Lynn’s contract also included a $1 million buyout if the club option was declined.
According to Fabian Ardaya of the The Athletic, that is the route the Dodgers have chosen as they declined their team option on Lynn for the 2024 season:
The Los Angeles Dodgers will decline Lance Lynn’s $18 million club option for 2024, a league source said Friday, letting one of their few veteran starters under club control for next season hit the open market as they begin their offseason activity.
The Dodgers — and all other teams and players — had five days from the World Series ending to make decisions on contract options for next year.
When the offseason officially began, the Dodgers faced choices on Daniel Hudson, Joe Kelly, Lynn, Max Muncy, Alex Reyes and Blake Treinen. Muncy was the first they addressed by signing him to a two-year contract extension that also includes another team option option for 2026.
As for Lynn, he’s now a free agent in what’s a relatively shallow pool of available starting pitchers on the open market. Although the Dodgers decided against keeping him under contract at an $18 million salary, Lynn theoretically could still be re-signed under different terms.
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman identified starting pitching as a focal point for the Dodgers this offseason.
Lance Lynn ‘enjoyed’ Dodgers
Lynn went 7-2 with a 4.36 ERA, 6.16 FIP and 1.27 WHIP in 11 starts after being traded to the Dodgers. There were moments of improvement from his results with the White Sox, but his trouble with the long ball ultimately persisted.
Lynn finished the season having allowed an MLB-worst 44 home runs that also ranked sixth-most all-time.
That reared its head during Lynn’s start in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, which wound up being an elimination loss for the Dodgers.
Despite the season ending on a sour note, the 36-year-old said he enjoyed getting to be on the Dodgers roster and pitch for a World Series contender.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
