The St. Louis Cardinals aimed to cut costs this past offseason, and one of the ways they did so was by declining the 2025 club options for pitchers Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson.
Both pitchers spent some time on the free agent market without immediate interest. Gibson eventually signed a one-year deal worth $5.25 million with the Baltimore Orioles. Lynn, however, remained unsigned and ultimately decided to retire.
In a recent column for USA Today Sports, Bob Nightengale explored the evolving landscape of MLB free agency. If you’ve been following the sport, you’ve probably noticed the trend he describes—while elite stars continue to land big contracts, many other players, including former All-Stars, are finding it increasingly difficult to secure deals.
One notable takeaway from Nightengale’s article—well worth reading—is that Lance Lynn was only seeking an $8 million contract.
“Veteran Lance Lynn didn’t think he’d be sitting home these days in Southern Illinois after discovering that no team was willing to meet his $8 million asking price,” Nightengale reported.
Lynn shared his perspective on the changing market: “Free agency could be great, it could be miserable. I experienced both. You know what you think you’re worth, you know where you want to be, but teams look to try to get a guy as cheap as possible… I was in a weird market where every team could afford me, but 20 to 25 teams are not looking to compete. Every team has the same playbook.”
Lynn pitched in 23 games for the Cardinals last season, posting a 3.84 ERA over 117 innings. Given his performance and experience, $8 million seemed like a reasonable ask, even at age 37. But the market continues to shift, and it’s clear the dynamics of free agency are changing rapidly.
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