The St. Louis Cardinals have reached an agreement with right-handed pitcher Lance Lynn on a three-year deal. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Cardinals will pay Lynn a salary of $7.33 million over three years, totaling a three-year, $22 million deal, avoiding arbitration. The deal does not include any options, meaning Lynn will be a costless-agent after the 2017 season.
Lynn gets $22M for 3 yrs. #STLCards
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 15, 2015
Even with the signing of Lynn, the Cardinals will not delay his path to costless agency as the contract just buys out his remaining three arbitration years. MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch notes that the deal does not save the team money, and it gives Lynn security for three more years. Lynn will get $7 million this year and $7.5 million in each of the following two seasons. He can make $500,000 in performance bonuses based on starts in 2016 and $1 million in 2017: $125,000 each for 25, 27, 29 and 31 in 2016 and $250,000 for each of those levels the following year.
Lynn made $535,000 last season when he pitched to a 15-10 record along with a career-best 2.74 ERA and a 134 ERA+ in 203 2/3 innings pitched over 33 starts.
Lynn has had a solid four-year career for the Cardinals, posting a career 49-28 record along with a 3.46 ERA and a 108 ERA+.