PASSAN: Lance Lynn Traded to White Sox for Dane Dunning, Avery Weems

[Nash Walker]

This year's edition of the Winter Meetings is virtual due to the pandemic. That didn't stop movement and rumors Monday.LANCE LYNN TRADED TO WHITE SOX FOR DANE DUNNING AND AVERY WEEMS

 

The lede was buried Monday as Jeff Passan reported late that the White Sox have traded for Rangers starter Lance Lynn. The burly right-hander has finished in the top-6 for the A.L. Cy Young in each of the past two seasons.

 

The Rangers pulled away six years of promising right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning, who impressed in his debut with the White Sox. Dunning pitched to a 3.97 ERA, including a seven-inning masterpiece against the Twins in September.

 

Avery Weems is reportedly the second player heading back to Texas. Weems is a 23-year-old left-hander who was drafted in the sixth round out of Arizona in 2019.

 

This is a clear win-now move for the South Siders, inching them even closer to their goal of taking the American League Central from the Twins.

 

OTHER HEADLINES FROM MONDAY:

 

UNIVERSAL DH NO MORE?

 

Ken Rosenthal reported that MLB sent a memo to teams telling them to "proceed under the assumption that the DH will not be used in the National League in 2021."

 

This impacts the Twins perhaps more than any other team as they remain in a "staring contest" with their (for now) departed DH Nelson Cruz.

 

ANGELS TRADE FOR SHUTDOWN CLOSER

 

The Angels, in need of arms of any type, traded for Reds closer Raisel Iglesias Monday. Iglesias ranks 16th in fWAR among qualified relievers since 2016. The flame throwing right-hander carries a $9.125 million price tag for 2021 in his final year before free agency.

 

In return, the Reds received right-hander Noé Ramirez and a PTBNL or cash. Ramirez is a 30-year-old reliever in his first of three years in arbitration. The California-born righty owns a career 4.18 ERA in 211 innings. He's set to make an estimated $1.1 million next season.

 

GEORGE SPRINGER UNLIKELY TO FOLLOW LYNN TO SOUTH SIDE

 

After early speculation that the White Sox could pursue top free agent George Springer to replace the non-tendered Nomar Mazara in right field, Jeff Passan cooled those jets Monday.

 

Passan noted in his article that the White Sox are "extraordinarily unlikely" to pay Springer a center field amount of money to play right field. The Sox have their center fielder of the future in rookie Gold Glove winner Luis Robert.

 

TREVOR BAUER TO METS PICKING UP STEAM?

 

Trevor Bauer, the top free agent pitcher this winter, isn't rushing to choose his next destination. Still, his agent told Deesha Thoshar of the New York Daily News that the Mets are a desirable location for her client:

 

“New York is... Well, he likes where the organization is going,” Luba said, “It can definitely be a landing spot.”

 

SONNY GRAY DRAWING EXPECTED INTEREST

 

Jon Heyman reported Monday that "several teams" are showing interest in the Reds right-hander. This comes days after Joel Sherman wrote that Cincinnati is "working hard" to trade Gray, who posted a stellar 3.07 ERA and 3.33 FIP in his first two seasons with the Reds.

 

INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE

 

Tomoyuki Sugano, a starting pitcher from Japan's NPB, and Ha-Seong Kim, a shortstop from South Korea's KBO, were both officially posted today (as reported by Jon Morosi here and here). The Minnesota Twins have needs in their rotation and infield, might they be suitors for either of these international stars?

 

Twins Daily's Tom Froemming shared some highlights and thoughts about both players in the video below.

 

 

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[Danchat]

I'm really frustrated by the Iglesias trade. The Angels basically bought out his contract and didn't have to give up a decent prospect, despite him being a dynamite closer in his prime. The middle to small market teams clearly aren't going to have payrolls that will allow them to succeed as much as usual in 2021.

[tony&rodney]

The Twins will need to hope that those  who insist that Lance Lynn is worthless are correct. Lynn as a #3 for the White Sox looks like a decent move for them to me.

[Doctor Gast]

Thanks Nash. Always appreciate your comments & updates

[bighat]

Sox are going for it, I'm guessing a lot of pundits out there are going to be predicting the White Sox #1 in the division this year. Especially if the Twins don't sign Cruz.

[071063]

I think this is an excellent move by the White Sox. Lynn as the #3 starter gives them a very good rotation with strong depth pieces.  The Twins still need to add another top-flight to mid-level starter to compete, along with several other pieces.

[Dman]

The White Sox are pushing their chips on the table.  Doesn't look like they want to wait around for that division title.  Unfortunately I think they are going to be a dominant team for quite some time. Here's hoping our guys have some moves to match their moves.

[jmlease1]

 

Sox are going for it, I'm guessing a lot of pundits out there are going to be predicting the White Sox #1 in the division this year. Especially if the Twins don't sign Cruz.

 

This was always going to happen. All the ChiSox prospects will be projected to improve, all of the Twins players will be projected to regress. Mysteriously, Maeda will be derided as a short-season wonder who can't actually be a Cy Young candidate/#1 pitcher and the Twins should just trade all their good players to New York for 50 cents on the dollar and start rebuilding. There will be zero love for the Twins by the pundit class this year.

[mikelink45]

With our loss of Rosario - if we lose Cruz I think the SOX pass us at this stage.  They have pushed their chips in - do we call or raise?

[lukeduke1980]

If the Sox don't sign Springer, maybe Rosario would be a good fit

[HrbieFan]

Sox gave up a great prospect for Lynn. Too bad Lynn rediscovered himself after he left the Twins. Given a choice of Springer & Dunning or Lynn in the South Side, I'm 100% in favor of the Lynn trade. This division is no cake walk now! With the Indians SP depth, Sox lineup & solid rotation.. the Twins will need to answer the bell.

[Eris]

According to MLB prospect rankings https://www.mlb.com/prospects (mid-season 2020). Dane Dunning is the 98th ranks prospect.  As a comparison Jordan Balazovic is ranked 81st and Trevor Larnach is ranked 77th.  So an approximate comparison would be Balazovic or Larnach headlining an equivalent trade for the Twins.

[Trov]

The Lynn deal is good for both sides.  Sox pushing to win now, but with who is managing them who knows what will happen.  Roberts faded down the stretch a bit so not sold on him being MVP candidate as some will expect.  Sox will be good competition, but they will need to improve over last year.  They did not do well against better teams overall, and beat up on weaker teams.  

 

It is also very hard to compare last year to any other season.  I would not want to use last year as something to compare how a team will do in future. 

[blindeke]

I guess I can't get over his time with the Twins, but I am not afraid of Lance Lynn.

[dex8425]

 

According to MLB prospect rankings https://www.mlb.com/prospects (mid-season 2020). Dane Dunning is the 98th ranks prospect.  As a comparison Jordan Balazovic is ranked 81st and Trevor Larnach is ranked 77th.  So an approximate comparison would be Balazovic or Larnach headlining an equivalent trade for the Twins.

Good to know. That's a lot to give up for one season of Lance Lynn. 

[nicksaviking]

Tony La Russa is still the manager of this White Sox team that is apparently "going for it" right? I still like their chances of being a complete if even unexpected train wreck. 

 

Interesting that Lance Lynn was a rookie in La Russa's final year in St. Louis. Personality-wise, they do seem to be birds of a feather.

[denarded]

I'm curious to see how Twins respond or what they're already working on. Sox were going to be competition before this acquisition and Chicago media sounds like they're not done making another major move. Not that it would be major, but Sox picking up Rosario could amount to a future awful play that we will wince at for the next ten years. Go Twins

[Minny505]

 

According to MLB prospect rankings https://www.mlb.com/prospects (mid-season 2020). Dane Dunning is the 98th ranks prospect.  As a comparison Jordan Balazovic is ranked 81st and Trevor Larnach is ranked 77th.  So an approximate comparison would be Balazovic or Larnach headlining an equivalent trade for the Twins.

Awesome post. You are spot on about it likely taking Belazovic for the Twins to get him for one season. Hard "no" on that proposition. 

Rangers did incredibly well in this deal. Good on them. 

Unless the ChiSox worked out a gentlemen's agreement with Lynn to sign him to an extension, I don't like this deal much for them. That's a lot to give up for one year of Lynn, who slipped a bit last season, despite a great ERA. His velo and Ks were down a tick from 2019, which at 33 years old, may be the first season of a steady decline. Still a very good pitcher to have for the next season or two. 

[tony&rodney]

Time will tell if Lynn is the difference for the White Sox.

Dane Dunning is NOT to be compared with either of Duran or Balazovic.

Both of the Twins prospects have better stuff: velocity and movement-visual test.

Dunning is more aptly compared to Lewis Thorpe. Decent pitches with modest upside, most likely to fill in the back side of a rotation. I'm not sure the Twins trade Thorpe for Dunning if they each had the same number of options left. Weems might be something. The Lynn trade is definitely good for both teams. Chicago loses nothing that they would use this year.

 

The real danger this week is if the Twins let Liam Hendriks get away. It is one thing if he signs with a National League team, but another if the White Sox haul him in.

In my mind, Hendriks is a must at any budget from $120 to150 million. If the Twins are going with a roster that comes in at or below $110 million, then old Liam is too rich. At some point a team will take a chance. Last year Donaldson was the choice. Failure to act this winter will negate his signing to some extent. I love the odds of the Twins top prospects producing at the major league level, just not all of them at the same time. The Twins needs to add a difference-maker.

 

[lecroy24fan]

Of course the White Sox are going all in LaRussa is on a limited time frame.