Texas Rangers: Three Trade Destinations for Lance Lynn

AL Powerhouse: New York Yankees

A potential destination for the ace of the Texas Rangers is with the New York Yankees, a club with whom he’s already had one stint in his career. The Yankees are one of the favorites within the American League to make the World Series and are fully in win-now mode. With the offseason addition of Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, the Yankees rotation got a true frontline starter. However injuries and inconsistency plague much of the remainder of the rotation.

James Paxton has just hit the IL with a forearm injury that will prevent him from throwing for two weeks. Beyond Paxton and Cole, the Yankees have relied on Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ and Jordan Montgomery none of which have inspired an overwhelming sense of confidence. The Yankees are in need of starting pitching to pair with Cole not just for the regular season but also a playoff run. Lance Lynn would be a stellar complementary piece to Cole and would arguably give New York the best one-two starter combo in the AL.

New York is also up against it financially with big money tied to Gerrit Cole and star player Aaron Judge nearing time for a contract extension. That limits some of their financial flexibility making Lance Lynn’s $5 million adjusted salary this season and $9.33 next year a needed bargain.

While the Yankees do have talented young players that will keep them at the top of contention for awhile, some long-term decisions sit on the horizon for the Bronx Bombers. Giancarlo Stanton can opt out after this season and D.J. LeMahieu is a UFA this offseason. That means the Yankees might have to look at ways to reload before next year giving a little added incentive to making a deep run this season. Lance Lynn would drastically improve their rotation and make them heavy favorites to make a World Series run.

For the Rangers side of things, the Yankees have a number of players that would be interesting options in a potential deal. Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar would no doubt be at the top of many fans’ wishlist as two big league caliber players who are starved for playing time in New York. Andujar was just optioned for the second time this season only two years removed from his 2018 campaign where he was the runner-up to the AL Rookie of the Year award. Meanwhile, Frazier has performed since his recent promotion, but long-term looks like a tough fit for New York. Others of interest for Texas would be certainly be top pitching prospect Clarke Schmidt as well as one of their multiple catching prospects. However whether New York would be able to part with a prospect of Schmidt’s caliber remains to be seen.

NL Juggernaut: Los Angeles Dodgers

Like the Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers are fully engaged in win-now mode. The club just committed to a long-term deal with superstar Mookie Betts and features one of the most talented farm systems in the league with a gluttony of MLB-ready prospects. LA has come painstakingly close to their first World Series since 1988 dropping back-to-back appearances in 2017 and 2018. Now, the club looks like the odds-on favorite to win it all and could be looking for the needed piece to put them over the top.

The Dodgers rotation is in better shape than the Yankees but two close calls will have them wanting to tie up any loose ends before the postseason begins. Clayton Kershaw seems to have returned to vintage form and Walker Buehler is one of the better young starters in the game. However, as impressive as Julio Urias and Dustin May have been, the Dodgers might be in search of a more proven starter to hold on to one of their postseason rotation roles.

Similarly to New York, the Dodgers have a bit of a bloated payroll. That means the value of Lynn’s contract and his controllability for the 2021 campaign makes him a tempting addition during this trade deadline period. Like Lynn’s pairing with Cole, a Lance Lynn/Clayton Kershaw one-two punch would be an intimidating challenge for opponents and would make LA clear and away favorites to win the World Series this season.

In terms of assets for the Texas Rangers to peruse in a potential return, there are few suitors who can offer what the Dodgers can. Despite having arguably the most impressive big league roster out there, Los Angeles still has a stable of elite prospects nearing the Majors soon. Fans can put thoughts of Gavin Lux out of their mind. The Dodgers weren’t willing to include him in a deal for Francisco Lindor, it’s a foregone conclusion that they won’t in any deal for Lynn.

However, there’s still plenty of talented players who would make a big impact for the Rangers to look at. Starter Josiah Gray would no doubt be coveted by Texas but that’s probably still too rich for Lance Lynn. Perhaps top catching prospect Keibert Ruiz could be pried away from the Dodgers though especially with LA already having 25-year old Will Smith in the big leagues. Infielder Kody Hoese would also no doubt draw interest from Texas as would 26-year old first baseman Edwin Rios who is already at the big league level with Los Angeles.

Emerging NL Favorite: Atlanta Braves

Calling the Atlanta Braves an emerging favorite isn’t indicative of their current status, where they are already a top contender, but merely an encapsulation of their ability to step into the NL spotlight for years to come. A young team filled with budding superstars and talented prospects, the Braves are quickly becoming a powerhouse in the National League and are just now entering their contending window.

If there’s a weakness of the Braves team right now though, it’s their starting rotation which is filled with talented young arms, but lacks a ton of consistent performers. Max Fried has been stellar for Atlanta this season but the club just lost 2019 NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Mike Soroka for the season leaving a void in the rotation. The Braves are in need of a top-end starter but their window extends beyond this year meaning a rental is not a top priority.

Enter Lance Lynn and his team-friendly contract through the 2021 season. Lynn would join Fried to give Atlanta a real combination to throw against opponents in the postseason while also giving them a foundation for next year’s staff, a season in which Atlanta is sure to only get better. Lynn would also give some valuable veteran leadership to the young Braves squad for a potential postseason run.

The question with Atlanta will always be their willingness to part with some of their top end prospects. The Rangers and Braves made a deal last year which sent Chris Martin to Atlanta for Kolby Allard. However, rumored interest in Mike Minor never came to fruition and the Braves are clear that they value their top prospects very highly.

If the Texas Rangers do get into talks with the Braves, Texas would covet a number of Atlanta’s young players. Top guys Christian Pache and Ian Anderson are surely untouchable and too rich for a deal around Lynn. But Drew Waters is an outfielder who is nearing readiness for a big league role but fairly blocked in Atlanta’s crowded outfield. Waters would instantly become the top prospect in the Rangers’ organization and could likely make a notable impact right away. Right-handed pitcher Bryse Wilson would also interest Texas who are looking to build their stable of pitching prospects with true rotation upside.

On the big league roster, a name that would be intriguing to watch is Austin Riley. The 23-year old got off to a sizzling start in the big leagues last season when he debuted but cooled off considerably and is off to a rough beginning to the 2020 season. His fit is an area of concern for Atlanta with all the young talent at or nearing the bigs. The Braves may not want to commit the time to furthering his development but the Texas Rangers are a club with time to spare right now.