Padres Predicted to Sign $7.6M All-Star, World Series Winning Pitcher in Blockbuster Move

Transitioning from a starter to a closer isn't completely unheard of and the San Diego Padres might be willing to gamble on signing free agent Lance Lynn to fill that role.

Lynn hasn't pitched out of the bullpen since 2018 but his agent, Kevin Lustig, has reportedly fielded a few calls inquiring about his client's interest in the switch.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report thinks the Padres should take a chance on Lynn.

"While Clay Holmes is trying to transition from closer to starter, there has been talk of Lynn possibly going in the opposite direction for his age-38 season," Miller wrote. "Whether he's the fifth-best starter or the third-best reliever still out there, he has a sub-4.00 ERA dating back to 2019 and has stayed mostly healthy even while eclipsing 2,000 career innings pitched.

"Fun fact: All five appearances Lynn has made at Petco Park in his career resulted in quality starts. And the Friars do need another arm. "

"Everything should add up to a healthy year."

A throwback to old-school pitching, Lance Lynn is on the market.

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The World Series-winning pitcher recently told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that he is “intrigued” by the possibility of getting the final three outs. He recalled Tony La Russa, his former manager with the St. Louis Cardinals, telling him, “you have a closer mentality.”

Lynn, whose competitive streak is well-established, said, “I’m not surprised that it’s something that around the league people see.”

However, the Padres could use Lynn as a starter. He has dropped weight and started a new training regimen to be in shape for the 2025 season regardless of whether he starts or comes out of the bullpen.

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“You always love starting because, I always tell everybody, it’s the best gig in all of sports,” Lynn said. “But if you’re not starting and have the ability to get outs in high-leverage situations at the back end of games, there’s no bigger thrill than that, either. I definitely have the fire for it. It would definitely be fun.”

Lynn became a full-time starter in 2011 and since then, he ranks sixth in the majors with 2,006.1 innings, behind only Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, and Madison Bumgarner.

Last season, Lynn posted a 3.84 ERA across 23 starts for the Cardinals but was limited to just two appearances after July 30 due to right knee inflammation.

Lynn's market value on Spotrac is $7.6 million. That would give San Diego a cost-effective arm they could use both in the rotation or in the bullpen.

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