ST. LOUIS -- With 22 hours and 39 minutes remaining before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, Lance Lynn secured the 70th win of his Cardinals career by watching Trevor Rosenthal close out a 3-2 victory over the D-backs. Now, Lynn will pass those remaining hours unsure whether he'll get an opportunity to keep climbing up that franchise leaderboard.
Actually, Lynn may be the only one feeling certain about his future. Insistent again after Sunday's win that he's not going anywhere -- "I told you all along, I'm not getting traded," Lynn stressed. -- he packed his bag for the team's upcoming road trip and went home anticipating his next start will come Saturday in Cincinnati.
The Cardinals, however, have not offered the same assurances.
Lynn's status as a soon-to-be free agent, and the Cardinals' complicated position as potential buyers and sellers, has put Lynn in play. The Cardinals are open to dealing the 30-year-old right-hander for the right return, particularly since they know they'll get, at most, one compensatory Draft pick should he sign elsewhere over the winter.
But Lynn, echoing a sentiment shared throughout the clubhouse, sees this Cardinals team as a club in contention, even with its sub-.500 record and 4 1/2-game deficit in the National League Central. And so he assumes the organization would want to keep him around for a potential late-season run.
"We're in it," Lynn said. "Why would we trade me?"
Pressed further on the topic, Lynn relented a bit.
"What's there to worry about? I don't control it," Lynn said. "If they want to keep me, they know my number. If they don't, then I'm gone. I'm still a pitcher, and I'll pitch for whoever has me."
He did his job well on Sunday, helping the Cardinals navigate through a day in which they were short on bullpen help. That nearly turned problematic during a laborious second inning in which Lynn walked four and allowed two runs. But on the 38th pitch of the inning, he got a popup that left the bases full and served as a springboard to four more strong innings.
If this was his final start for the Cardinals, it was emblematic of so many he's made since becoming a full-time addition to the rotation in 2012. This was his 90th career quality start and his fifth in a row this month.
"It just shows his toughness, being able to put [the trade rumors] aside and get out there and focus on what he needs to do," manager Mike Matheny said. "Sometimes it gives it gives him a little chip to [pitch with]. But he's continuing to just prepare and do his work.
"He's had a great year for us so far, and he just needs to stay focused on that next start that he's given."
Lynn will know by the end of the day on Monday when, where and for whom that will be.
"I don't pay attention to it," Lynn said. "I just worry about pitching. My job is to pitch, and that's what I'm here to do."