Houston Astros: Five reasons Lance Lynn works as a trade option

Lance Lynn has multiple quality seasons

Lance Lynn has compiled quite a good track record in his five and a half years in the Majors. He has an all-star appearance, a World Series trophy, and outside of last year when he underwent Tommy John surgery, he has been solid, healthy and consistent.

In his four and a half years as a starter, he’s compiled a 68-45 record with a 3.39 ERA. He became a regular starter in his first full season in 2012. Here are his numbers from 2012-2015

• 2012: 18-7 record in 29 starts with 176 innings thrown posting a 3.78 ERA alongside an all-star appearance and a World Series trophy
• 2013: 15-10 record in 33 starts with 201.2 innings thrown posting a 3.97 ERA.
• 2014: 15-10 record in 33 starts with 203.2 innings thrown posting a 2.74 ERA.
• 2015: 12-11 record in 31 starts with 175.1 innings thrown posting a 3.03 ERA.

Only once has he not made it to 30 starts and that was in his first full year as a starter. And he missed it by a start. Never an ERA over 4.00. Never less than 175 innings.

Now compare that to Charlie Morton or Mike Fiers.

In a 10 year career Morton has thrown 30 starts in a year…never. Not only has he never thrown over 200 innings, the most innings he’s thrown in a year is 171.2 back in 2011, when Lance Lynn was a rookie. His career numbers over that 10 year career is 52-74 with a 4.49 ERA.

Now in a seven year career for Mike Fiers, he’s thrown for 30 starts over the past two years (the only two years he’s done that) for the Astros and is on pace to do that again this season. He posted a 3.69 ERA in 2015 throwing 180.1 innings and last year threw 168.2 innings in 30 starts posting a 4.48 ERA. His career numbers are 39-41 with a 3.86 ERA.

Lance Lynn is the most polished, more proven starter than the two we have now. It’s a solid bet he can throw 80 more innings to help take pressure of the bullpen. But it’s not just the regular season starts. He has something more…