The St. Louis Cardinals have signed one-year contracts with free-agent right-handers Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn to bolster their starting rotation. Gibson, 36, achieved career highs last season with 15 wins and 33 starts for the AL East champion Baltimore. His deal includes a club option for 2025. Gibson, an All-Star in 2021 with Texas, posted a 15-9 record, a 4.73 ERA, and 157 strikeouts in 192 innings with the Orioles. He has a career record of 104-100, a 4.54 ERA, and 1,359 strikeouts over 11 major league seasons with multiple teams.
Lance Lynn, also 36, returns to the Cardinals with a finalized one-year deal that includes a team option for 2025. Lynn spent the previous season with the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, finishing 13-11 with a 5.73 ERA. A two-time All-Star, Lynn previously pitched for the Cardinals from 2011-17, contributing to World Series teams in 2011 and 2013. Overall, he holds a career record of 136-95, a 3.74 ERA, and needs 11 innings to reach 2,000 for his career.
The Cardinals, aiming to address their struggling rotation with a 5.08 ERA in the previous season, expressed excitement about Lynn’s return, emphasizing his veteran mindset, durability, experience, and ability to work a high volume of innings. President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak noted Lynn’s significance in assembling the team’s rotation and roster for the upcoming season.