St. Louis Cardinals: Lance Lynn Moving Towards Becoming a Factor

Lance Lynn is heading towards a potential return towards the St. Louis Cardinals and he could become a difference maker.

In a stunning and surprising development, St. Louis Cardinals‘ Lance Lynn has started a rehab assignment. Generally, the expectation is that those with Tommy John surgery to be out the full 12 months after their surgery.

Lance Lynn is challenging that, as he has begun the possible road to the St. Louis Cardinals’ bullpen with a rehab assignment with the Palm Beach Cardinals.

Lynn threw 27 pitches (19 strikes) in 1 2/3 IP. This is something worth keeping an eye on, as Lynn’s reaction to this is the most important part. John Mozeliak was quoted in Derrick Goold’s piece on Tuesday as saying “We will take this day by day”. 

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At the beginning of the month, Lynn was throwing to live hitters and pitching in September was just but a dream. However, now it is becoming closer to reality. This would be a huge help for a team that has had their bullpen struggles this season. Perhaps getting Lynn back would finally push Jonathan Broxton off of the roster.

Last season, Lynn went 12-11 with a 3.03 ERA. While Lynn’s numbers were very good, it was the second half when Lynn went on the decline as he posted a 3.66 ERA and a 4.73 BB/9 from August on. Lynn’s decline was largely due to pitching through the elbow issue that eventually led to his Tommy John surgery.

Lynn has reportedly been feeling fine since the outing on Monday night but knows that he has some time to go before he is ready to go. He also mentioned to Derrick Goold that he “needs more innings and work before he’ll have a sense if the calendar gives him enough time to pitch in relief at the major-league level”.

Goold also mentions that Mozeliak and Matheny are not trying to rush Lynn through this, as being ready for 2017 is on the forefront. Lynn’s readiness for September is simply a plus at this point. Goold also mentioned that the Cardinals haven’t scheduled Lynn’s next outing.

Generally, Lynn will sit in the mid-90s as a starter, so with him coming back in a bullpen role with a potential full strength arm could give the St. Louis Cardinals another late-90s weapon in the back end of the bullpen. This would allow the Cardinals to further shorten the game as Alex Reyes is starting to become a legitimate weapon and Seung-hwan Oh has been Mr. Consistent in the 9th.

Crazily enough, Lynn may not be the only one getting ready for a potential big league return. Goold also mentions Jordan Walden will be beginning a Palm Beach rehab assignment on Sunday. Although that is a situation where I will believe when I see it, as Walden has been down this road a lot the past two seasons and simply hasn’t panned out for the St. Louis Cardinals.

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If this all happens, the Cardinals may finally have that super bullpen we were teased with before the season started. A revamped bullpen will absolutely be a difference maker for this team as we head towards a potential playoff run.