ST. LOUIS – Lance Lynn, a longtime St. Louis Cardinals pitcher and the last active player from the 2011 World Series championship roster, is now calling it a career.
Lynn, who pitched for the Cardinals last season and went unsigned in the offseason, officially announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Tuesday via his wife’s podcast, “Dymin in the Rough,” according to an MLB.com report.
Lynn, 37, pitched 13 seasons at the MLB level, including seven over two stints with the Cardinals. He was a two-time All Star who finished his career with 143 wins, 2,015 strikeouts and a 3.74 ERA. He was well-respected among teammates and the Cardinals fanbase for his competitive, fiery spirit and mentorship to younger pitchers.
Lynn debuted in 2011 as a relief pitcher and became a valuable piece of the Cardinals’ bullpen during their last World Series run that season. His 79 wins with the Cardinals rank 22nd most in franchise history.
Lynn departed after the 2017 season and then pitched for five other teams. After his first stint with the Cardinals, he found his most success with the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox from 2019 to 2021, reaching personal bests in strikeouts (246 in 2019) and ERA (2.69 in 2021) while placing sixth or better in American League Cy Young voting in all three seasons.
Lynn returned to the Cardinals in 2024 and redeemed himself after some late-career injuries and struggles elsewhere. He went 7-4 with a 3.84 ERA and 109 strikeouts over 117.1 innings pitched last season.
The Cardinals have not yet formally announced any plans to recognize Lynn’s retirement, but could do so later Tuesday.