This Yankees-Rangers Lance Lynn trade could work

The Yankees might want to call the Texas Rangers about Lance Lynn’s availability prior to his walk year.

Remember everyone’s favorite fantasy that the Texas Rangers would take the AL West during a nightmare scenario 2020 for the Houston Astros? They’d be buoyed by their rotation, featuring Lance Lynn, Corey Kluber and Mike Minor? If you squinted, you could see it.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, if two of the three arms disappear, the plan starts to dissolve a bit. Even though Lynn was a complete horse from start to finish in the 60-game season, he made very little impact on the baseball world at large. Texas retained his rights at the deadline, and he wrapped up the year with a 6-3, 3.32 mark on a 22-38 team.

The Rangers aren’t particularly in a better position entering 2021, and Lynn’s three-year bargain contract only features one more year. So why don’t the Yankees come calling about a relatively cheap reunion? They could certainly use a bulldog.

The likely peak of Lynn’s value was midway through 2020; a full season of control will garner less than 1.25 seasons plus an additional playoff run. Right now, he falls somewhere between his highest valuation and the dirt-cheap level the Yankees acquired him at in 2018.

Remember Lynn? He was solid, always punching above his weight with competitiveness. Then he lost his footing, and somehow turned into a middle reliever before the ALDS.

With the Rangers in desperate need of offense and high-upside players, what about an offer of Estevan Florial (still No. 7 on MLB Pipeline’s top 30) and RHP Roansy Contreras, the 20-year-old with the big breaker, for Lynn? That’s one player who could step into the outfield in short order, and a projectable starter who ranks 19th in the Yankees’ top 30.

The Yankees are going to have to get creative in the 2020-21 offseason, without a lot of elite talent available on the trade market.

So what’s the harm in dipping back into the well to reunite with an old, um, friend? Especially if he’s likely to be among the only big names available.

The Yanks need to prioritize a veteran presence in any rotation arm they acquire. You want rock-solid stability, you look to Lynn. Makes more sense than Marcus Stroman!

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