CHICAGO -- Lance Lynn’s White Sox debut was worthy of 2021 American League Cy Young Award consideration.
The raw statistics over his 28 starts for the South Siders back up that assertion, but so does this year’s BBWAA voting, as Lynn was announced as one of three finalists for the award on Monday night. Lynn, who was joined by the Blue Jays’ Robbie Ray and the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole as the AL Cy Young contenders, represented the lone award finalist for the AL Central champions. The AL and NL Cy Young Award winners will be announced on Nov. 17.
Lynn, 34, was acquired during the offseason from Texas in a trade sending right-handed starter Dane Dunning and Minor League pitcher Avery Weems to the Rangers. Lynn was the perfect answer for a team that looked at least one high-quality starting pitcher short during the 2020 Wild Card Series loss to the A’s in three games.
Over 157 innings this year, Lynn posted a 2.69 ERA. He struck out 176, walked 45, allowed 123 hits and recorded one shutout. That shutout came in Lynn’s second start with Chicago and first at Guaranteed Rate Field as a member of the White Sox, as he fanned 11 Royals in a five-hit, 111-pitch performance.
There will be plenty of chances for more efforts like this one with the White Sox, as Lynn agreed to a two-year, $38 million extension on July 17 with an $18 million club option for ’24. Lynn will join Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, Dallas Keuchel and Michael Kopech, who is moving from the bullpen back to the rotation, as the team’s 2022 starting five at this point of the offseason.
Along with the on-field effort, Lynn was one of the most charismatic and dynamic quotes on the team. He was somewhat hampered down the stretch by right knee inflammation but still was the team’s Game 1 starter in a four-game Division Series loss to the eventual AL champion Astros.