The Minnesota Twins finally took one of the top free agent pitchers off the market on Saturday by signing former St. Louis Cardinal Lance Lynn to a one-year, $12 Million deal. The deal adds $2 million in potential performance bonuses, which could bring the total estimated value of the contract to a substantial $14 million.

Lynn has been one of the most consistently successful pitchers in the MLB since his rookie year in 2012. He has a career 3.33 ERA and has never posted an ERA above 4.00. Lance posted a 3.43 ERA in 2017 and a minuscule 1.47 ERA in July. He also posted an 11-8 Win-Loss record while averaging just 1.3 home runs for every 9 inning which in this day and age is very rare. Lynn also averaged a solid 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lance Lynn turned down a $17.5 Million qualifying offer from the St. Louis Cardinals in order to test the free agent waters in the 2017-18 offseason. Unfortunately for Lynn and his wallet, this offseason has turned out to be the slowest in history and he will now be forced to sign for about $3.5 Million less then what he would have gotten out qualifying offer. Lynn was reportedly offered a two-year, $20 Million contract by the Twins, but it was understandably turned down by the right-hander.

The Minnesota Twins became the first team in MLB history to lose 100+ games in a season only to make the playoffs in the following year when they pulled through to obtain the second Wild Card spot, before eventually being put back in their place by the Yankees. Lynn reportedly had multiple “richer” offers on the table but wound up going with the Twins due to the fact that they are dedicated to winning in 2018.

Minnesota has been remarkably productive this offseason and has signed slugger Logan Morrison, pitchers Zach Duke, Michael Pineda, Anibal Sanchez, Addison Reed, closer, Fernando Rodney, and acquired another starter in Jake Odorizzi. Not bad for a team that was expected to be rebuilding for the next 5-years.

The Twins will now have some much needed rotational depth going into 2018 and will be in the running for the second wild card again. Lynn is expected to join right-handers Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, and Kyle Gibson in the Twins pitching rotation as they charge towards the playoffs. Lynn will now get another shot at free agency in the 2018-19 offseason.