Shifting from a starter to a closer isn’t entirely unusual, and the San Diego Padres may be considering taking a chance on 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 received inquiries about his client’s potential interest in making the switch.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report believes the Padres should take the risk on Lynn.
“While Clay Holmes is attempting to move from closer to starter, there has been talk of Lynn possibly going the other way in his age-38 season,” Miller wrote. “Whether he ends up being the fifth-best starter or the third-best reliever available, he’s had a sub-4.00 ERA since 2019 and has remained mostly healthy despite surpassing 2,000 career innings pitched.
“Fun fact: All five of Lynn’s career appearances at Petco Park resulted in quality starts. And the Padres are in need of another arm.”
The World Series champion recently told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that he’s “intrigued” by the idea of closing games. He recalled his former manager with the St. Louis Cardinals, Tony La Russa, telling him, “you have a closer mentality.”
Lynn, known for his competitive nature, added, “I’m not surprised that it’s something people see around the league.”
That said, the Padres could still use Lynn as a starter. He’s shed weight and adopted a new training routine to be in peak shape for the 2025 season, regardless of whether he starts or comes out of the bullpen.
“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.”
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2011, Lynn ranks sixth in the majors with 2,006.1 innings, trailing only Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, and Madison Bumgarner.
Last season, Lynn posted a 3.84 ERA in 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, making him a cost-effective option for San Diego to use in either the rotation or bullpen.
