Who should stay and who should be removed from the Cardinals' rotation after deadline

Lance Lynn

Lynn is the likeliest of the Opening Day starters to be removed from the rotation. Things were going okay before his implosion on July 6th. Across six starts in June, Lynn pitched to a 3.86 ERA and kept the Cards in each of those games, leading the team to a 5-1 record. But, it's worth mentioning that Lynn wasn't giving the Cardinals what they needed most: innings. He covered a measly 30.1 innings in June, averaging just over five per start. In 3 of those games, he failed to pitch through the fifth. Lynn's inefficiency has contributed to the stress placed on the Cardinals' bullpen.

Then came July 6th. Lynn surrendered four runs in the first, five in the second, and two more in the third before being lifted for Matthew Liberatore. By the time it was over, Lynn had given up 11 runs in just 2.2 innings. None of his stuff was working, and the game against the Nationals was over before it really began. Lynn's ERA jumped from a respectable 3.59 to 4.48. He also allowed three home runs, a low point for him on the season. Now, there's real doubt about his future with the Cardinals.

It may surprise many, but Lynn has struggled to eat innings all year. In 18 starts, he has pitched six or more innings just five times. The Cardinals need more from him. Unfortunately, it's difficult to project more. Lynn walks a lot of hitters, strikes a lot of hitters out, and frequently finds himself in deep counts. He doesn't get the quick outs that guys like Mikolas and Gibson rack up. But, his strikeout stuff does allow him to escape jams more often.

Regardless, the results dictate that Lynn is likelier to leave than Mikolas or Gibson. He may carry some value as a reliever. Again, he records more strikeouts than Mikolas and Gibson. But, he just doesn't feel like a reliever. He's 37 years old, he doesn't throw a slider, and he hasn't really pitched in relief since 2011.

Perhaps Lynn carries some trade value. Before his implosion, his season numbers actually looked pretty good. Even now, a 4.48 ERA isn't awful. There may be some team willing to take a look at Lynn, especially if they're dealing with injuries of their own. He won't bring back any notable prospects, but maybe the Cardinals could shed some of his salary. If the Cardinals can't find a taker, it's possible that they just DFA him, though they'll probably be fairly resistant to that option. The Cardinals never like wasting value. Lynn is probably safe if they just go after one pitcher, but a second starter would jeopardize his role.

Verdict: Probably safe... for now