(670 The Score) With one swift trade for a veteran pitcher, the White Sox shifted from being an up-and-coming team hoping to win big soon to being in the heart of their championship window – right now.
The White Sox officially acquired right-hander Lance Lynn from the Rangers on Tuesday, slotting him into the top three of a rotation that needed some reinforcement. Lynn has just one year remaining on his contract, and Chicago sent 25-year-old right-hander Dane Dunning and pitching prospect Avery Weems to Texas in the deal.
Acquiring a rental player while parting with the promising Dunning was a clear indicator the White Sox are serious about winning a World Series in 2021 and no longer building for the future but rather the present.
“You have to give up something to get something,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said.
“Particularly with a guy like Dane, it’s never easy to give up a young guy who has been part of this rebuild process. “He was acquired four years ago to this date (in the Adam Eaton trade), showing me where this rebuild has come over the course of those four years. We are now in that stage, certainly the most exciting stage of contending for championships.”
Lynn, 33, had a 3.32 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 84 innings across 13 starts in 2020. He posted a 3.67 ERA in 33 starts in the full 2019 season. Lynn has been a workhorse throughout his career, making at least 29 starts in seven of the eight seasons from 2012-’19.
After adding Lynn, Hahn kept talking championship.
“It is pretty clear what our intentions are,” Hahn said. “The window is open, and we intend to put ourselves in the best position to win championships. We want to keep that window open for a long period of time, so we don’t want to do anything detrimental to our long-term health. At the same time, having the chance to win is rare, so we must make sure this is properly serviced. We want to win as many trophies as we can while this window stays open.”
Lynn was thrilled to come to Chicago, where he’ll be reunited with White Sox manager Tony La Russa – for whom he played under when the Cardinals won the World Series in 2011.
“We won a World Series when I was a rookie with him in St. Louis,” Lynn said. “Ten years later, if we can do the same, it will be exciting.”
Also on Tuesday, the White Sox and outfielder Adam Eaton agreed to a one-year, $7-million deal with a team option for a second season. Beyond Lynn and Eaton, the White Sox aren’t done looking to improve this offseason either. They still have money to use in free agency, though it’s unclear how big their next splash might be.
“We have a sense of what is available to us from a payroll standpoint, and we will try and pick off as many needs as we can in a quality way,” Hahn said. “We will hope there are more resources along the way. But for now, we know what we have to work with, so we must allocate that as effectively as possible.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.