Former Rangers Ace Lance Lynn To Undergo Knee Surgery
Chicago White Sox pitcher Lance Lynn will undergo minor surgery on his right knee on Tuesday to repair a slight tear in a tendon. The procedure was announced by White Sox general manager Rick Hahn on Sunday.
Lynn will be off the mound for four weeks and have to be built back up afterward. He could miss 6-8 weeks of the regular season.
The 34-year-old right-hander dealt with some knee issues throughout his 2021 season, which might have led to the need for surgery now. However, Hahn said, "A surgical procedure wasn't called for until (the tear) happened."
2021 was Lynn's first year in Chicago, and it was a successful campaign. Lynn went 11-6 with a 2.69 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 157 innings and 28 starts, earning him a third-place finish in the American League Cy Young voting.
Prior to his arrival in Chicago, Lynn resurrected his career in his two seasons with the Texas Rangers in 2019-20. After a rocky 2018 season split between Minnesota and the New York Yankees, Lynn signed a three-year, $30 million contract with Texas.
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During his two years in Texas, Lynn went a combined 22-14 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He was a workhorse for the Rangers' pitching staff, logging 208 1/3 innings in 2019 and led all of baseball with 84 innings in the truncated 2020 season. Lynn also earned fifth- and sixth-place finishes in the AL Cy Young voting, respectively.
As part of the commitment to rebuild, the Rangers traded Lynn to the White Sox in the subsequent offseason, acquiring Dane Dunning—who is currently in the Texas starting rotation—and pitching prospect Avery Weems, the club's No. 18 prospect on Baseball America.
Rangers fans hoped Texas would have a chance to turn around and bring Lynn back via free agency over the winter. However, prior to hitting free agency, Lynn agreed to a two-year, $38 million contract extension with the White Sox, which also includes a 2024 club option with a $1 million buyout.
