MLB analyst questions Cardinals' acquisition of Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson
Pitchers Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn have been acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals to help improve the team's pitching woes. However, in light of tumultuous 2023 seasons from both arms, an analyst has questioned whether or not the pair will usher in marked improvement for the team.
Both Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson are 36-year-old veterans with over a decade of MLB experience. Both were signed to one-year deals this week, with Gibson set to receive $12 million against $11 million earmarked for Lynn. Both deals include club options for the 2025 season.
"We have signed RHP Lance Lynn and RHP Kyle Gibson to one-year contracts for the 2024 season. Both deals include a 2025 club option. Lynn has been selected to two All-Star teams and was a member of our 2011 World Series championship team. Gibson, who pitched at Mizzou, ranked in the top 10 in the AL in wins, game started, innings pitched, quality starts, and winning percentage in 2023" - St. Louis Cardinals
Both veterans won the 2011 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. However, both men struggled in 2023. Lynn allowed 44 home runs in 32 starts, posting a 5.73 ERA while splitting the season between the Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox. Although Gibson made an AL-best 33 starts in 2023, the Indiana native has a 4.88 ERA over the past two seasons with the Phillies and Baltimore Orioles.
For the St. Louis Cardinals, starting pitching is a top priority heading into the 2023 season. The team finished with a dismal 71-91 record, leading to their first last-place finish in the NL Central since 1990. Now, they must deal with retiring vet Adam Wainwright after ace Jordan Montgomery was shipped to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline, leaving their rotation at odds.
In a recent appearance on MLB Network, former player and current analyst Kevin Frandsen reflected on the move. According to the former infielder, picking up the pair of aging vets is not reflective of the radical pitching change that the Cards so desperately needed.
"After the @Cardinals landed Kyle Gibson & Lance Lynn, @KevinFrandsen wonders if they are the right fits for St. Louis." - MLB Network Radio on Xirius XM
Barring excellence, 2024 could spell retirement for Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson
By signing Lynn and Gibson to one-year contracts, the St. Louis Cardinals will be able to set a sort of "trial period". However, after downright poor seasons from both arms, the stakes are very high.
Moreover, 2024 will see pitchers Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolaus go into free agency. If these two veterans do not perform up to standard, then the Cards could be even more lost when it comes to pitching next year.