Lance Lynn Revamps Training to Extend Career Despite Knee Troubles

As Lance Lynn's career advances, he's making significant changes to his training regimen to address knee issues that limited him to 117 1/3 innings last season—his lowest total for a full campaign, excluding the 2016 season he missed due to Tommy John surgery. In a recent phone interview, the 6-foot-5 right-hander revealed that he has lost 20 pounds, dropping from 280 to 260, in an effort to stay healthy and extend his career.

Lynn, 37, became a free agent after the St. Louis Cardinals declined his $12 million club option. Since his MLB debut in 2011, he ranks sixth in the majors with 2,006 1/3 innings pitched, trailing only Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, and Madison Bumgarner. Like many players, Lynn is determined to prolong his time on the mound.

"The older you get, you learn new things," Lynn said. "When you look at your knees and lower body, with my age and the way my body’s built, I was going to have to lose a little bit of weight. That was the No. 1 priority, right out of the gate."

Last season, Lynn twice went on the injured list due to right knee inflammation, making only two starts after July 30. The injury, he explained, was unexpected. During his recovery, Lynn sought advice from former teammates who pitched into their late 30s and early 40s, including John Lackey, Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and CC Sabathia.

​"I kind of came to the conclusion that I wasn’t done," Lynn said. "And if I’m not done, I’ve got to change some stuff up, just to make sure I can do the things I need to do and give myself the best chance to stay healthy for as long as I want to do it.
"I think I’ve revamped every five or six years. Here’s another revamp to maybe get ready for my last act here going into my late 30s."