Ex-White Sox Pitcher Lance Lynn Retires from Baseball

Lance Lynn Calls It a Career: Veteran Right-Hander Retires After 13 MLB Seasons

After more than a decade of big-league battles, Lance Lynn is hanging up his cleats. The veteran right-hander made the announcement in a fittingly casual fashion—on Tuesday’s episode of his wife’s podcast, Dymin in the Rough.

“Baseball season is upon us and I’m right here on the couch and that is where I’m gonna stay,” Lynn said. “I am officially retiring from baseball right here, right now.”

Lynn, 37, spent 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, beginning and ending his career with the St. Louis Cardinals. His journey took him through Minnesota, New York, Texas, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but it was with the Cardinals that he achieved his ultimate triumph—a World Series title as a rookie in 2011. The 2024 season brought his career full circle as he returned to St. Louis for one final run.

The numbers tell the story of a consistent and durable presence on the mound: a career record of 143-99, a 3.74 ERA, 1.276 WHIP, and 2,015 strikeouts. Lynn’s reliability was evident as he posted an ERA below 4.00 in 11 of his 13 seasons. He earned two All-Star selections (2012, 2021) and finished in the top five of AL Cy Young voting three times, peaking with a third-place finish in 2021 as a member of the White Sox.

His final campaign in 2024 saw him make 23 starts for St. Louis, going 7-4 with a 3.84 ERA. After hitting free agency last fall, Lynn hinted that the offers—or lack thereof—helped solidify his decision to step away.

“Ending it in St. Louis felt right,” Lynn said, reflecting on his return to where it all began. His final MLB outing? A quality start in a victory at Busch Stadium, a poetic sendoff for a pitcher known for his workhorse mentality.

While his playing days are over, Lynn teased that he may not be stepping away from the game entirely.

“There might be something a little fun around the corner this upcoming weekend,” he said. “But from Major League Baseball, I am done pitching.”

Lynn exits the game as one of the steadiest right-handers of his era—a fiery competitor with a knack for keeping hitters off balance and delivering when it mattered most. His retirement marks the end of a career that saw him lift a championship trophy, log over 1,800 innings, and leave an undeniable impact on every rotation he anchored.